George H . McKee Lieutenant General George H . McKee ( born April 28 , 1923 ) was an American Air Force lieutenant general and command pilot who was commander of Air Training Command with headquarters at Randolph Air Force Base , Texas . Biography . McKee was born in 1923 , in Pickens , South Carolina . He enlisted in the U . S . Amy Air Corps at MacDill Field , Florida , in December 1940 and was subsequently assigned to Chanute Field , Ill . , where he was an aircraft mechanic instructor for the next two years . He was accepted for aviation cadet training in December 1942 and graduated as a pilot in September 1943 with a commission as a second lieutenant . For the next few months , he attended B - 17 transition and combat crew training . In March 1944 he was assigned to the 569th Bombardment Squadron , Eighth Air Force , in the European Theater of Operations where he flew 35 combat missions . McKee was transferred in October 1944 to MacDill Field where he was a B - 17 and B - 29 instructor pilot . He was integrated into the Regular Air Force in October 1947 . At this time , he was assigned to the 49th Bombardment Squadron , 2d Bombardment Group , Davis - Monthan Air Force Base , Ariz . , where he served as aircraft commander on B - 29 and B - 50 aircraft . He transferred to Hunter Air Force Base , Georgia , in April 1949 with the 2d Bombardment Group . In November 1951 he became the 49th Bombardment Squadron operations officer and in June 1953 was appointed commander . During this period , the squadron converted from B - 50 to B - 47 aircraft . He served as chief of maintenance , 2nd Bombardment Wing , from June 1955 to October 1955 . From October 1955 to June 1960 , he was assigned to the Control Division , Directorate of Operations , Headquarters Strategic Air Command , where he was project officer for development of the SAC Command and Control System . He received a bachelor of arts degree in education from the University of Omaha in 1958 . In August 1960 he was assigned as vice commander , 3974th Combat Support Group , Zaragoza Air Base , Spain , and in May 1962 , became commander of the group . After attending the Industrial College of the Armed Forces during 1963 - 1964 , he underwent B - 52 aircraft transition training at Castle Air Force Base , Calif . In October 1964 he was assigned as deputy commander for maintenance , 97th Bombardment Wing , Blytheville Air Force Base , Ark . In April 1965 he was transferred to Grand Forks Air Force Base , N . D . , to assume command of the 319th Bombardment Wing . In June 1966 he returned to Blytheville Air Force Base as commander of the 97th Bombardment Wing . In July 1967 he transferred to Ramey Air Force Base , Puerto Rico , as commander of the 72d Bombardment Wing . In July 1968 he received an assignment as commander of the 19th Air Division , Carswell Air Force Base , Texas . In June 1970 McKee was assigned as director of maintenance engineering in the Office of Deputy Chief of Staff , Systems and Logistics , Headquarters U . S . Air Force , Washington , D . C . McKee assumed duties as deputy chief of staff for logistics , Headquarters Strategic Air Command , Offutt Air Force Base , Neb . , in October 1972 . In this position , he was responsible for aircraft and missile maintenance , procurement , supply and services , transportation , munitions , logistics plans , and logistics analysis throughout Strategic Air Command . He became SAC chief of staff in April 1973 . In this position , he was responsible for headquarters staff supervision and for monitoring the implementation of the decisions and policies of the commander in chief . On October 1 , 1973 , McKee assumed command of Eighth Air Force with responsibilities for SAC operations in the Western Pacific and Southeast Asia areas . McKee became commander of the Air Training Command with headquarters at Randolph Air Force Base , Texas , in September 1974 . His military decorations and awards include the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster , Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster , Distinguished Flying Cross , and Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters . A command pilot , McKee has more than 8 , 000 flying hours to his credit . He has flown numerous types of aircraft but most of his flying time is in B - 17 , B - 29 , B - 50 , B - 47 , B - 52 and KC - 135 aircraft . His hometown is Lakeland , Florida . He was promoted to the grade of lieutenant general effective October 1 , 1973 , with date of rank September 29 , 1973 .