John R . Alison John Richardson " Johnny " Alison ( November 21 , 1912 – June 6 , 2011 ) was a highly decorated American combat ace of World War II and veteran of the Korean War , and is often cited as the father of Air Force Special Operations . Early years . Born in Micanopy , Florida , near Gainesville in 1912 , Alison graduated from the University of Florida School of Engineering and joined the United States Army Air Corps in 1936 . He earned his wings and was commissioned at Kelly Field in 1937 . Prior to America ' s entry into World War II , he served as Assistant Military Attache in England and helped British pilots transition into the P - 40 . In October 1941 , Alison traveled to Moscow to administer the sensitive U . S . - Soviet P - 40 Lend - Lease program . He trained Russian pilots in the P - 40 , A - 20 , and B - 25 Mitchell aircraft . In his autobiography , Jimmy Doolittle wrote : Combat . After ten months and repeated requests for reassignment to combat , Alison got his wish . In June 1942 , he reported to the China - Burma - India Theater ( CBI ) to serve as Deputy Squadron Commander under major David Lee " Tex " Hill in the 75th Fighter Squadron , part of Colonel Robert Lee Scott , Jr . ' s 23rd Fighter Group , the USAAF successor of the AVG ' s famed Flying Tigers in the China - Burma - India Theater . Alison was called into theater by the previous commander of the AVG , Brigadier General Claire Lee Chennault , who was currently serving as Commander of the Fourteenth Air Force . On 30 July 1942 , Alison was credited with the first night kills in the theater . For his experimental night interception , he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross . In early 1943 , Alison demonstrated his aggressiveness when he took off during an attack on his own airfield . Alison engaged three Mitsubishi A6M Zero s and scored one probable kill . He then vectored arriving reinforcements to the battle , after which he made a stern attack on another enemy fighter at close range , shooting it down . His gallantry and fighting spirit earned him the Silver Star . Ending his tour as commander of the 75th Fighter Squadron , Alison left as an ace with seven confirmed victories and several probable kills . His former commanding officer , David Lee " Tex " Hill , had high praise for Alison : Air Commando . Alison later commanded the 3rd Air Commando group in the Pacific serving in the Philippines and Okinawa . Later years . After the war , he served as an Assistant Secretary of Commerce , President of the Air Force Association , and as a major general in the Air Force Reserve . He retired as vice president of the Northrop Corporation in 1984 and is a 1994 inductee into the Air Commando Hall of Fame . In 1985 , 2004 and 2009 Alison was honored at the Air University ' s Gathering of Eagles program . In 2005 , he was enshrined in the National Aviation Hall of Fame . Alison died on June 6 , 2011 and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery on October 3 , 2011 . Air Force Chief of Staff General Norton A . Schwartz provided the eulogy at the Old Post Chapel at Joint Base Myer - Henderson Hall . Following the chapel service , Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley presented the American flag to Alison ' s wife , Penni , at the graveside service . Alison was survived by his wife , Penni , and two sons , John and David .