Jack G . Merrell General Jack Gordon Merrell ( April 8 , 1915 – August 15 , 1993 ) was a United States Air Force four - star general who served as Commander , Air Force Logistics Command ( COMAFLC ) from 1968 to 1972 . Early life . Merrell was born in Jeannette , Pennsylvania , in 1915 . He graduated from high school in 1933 , attended Braden ' s Preparatory at Cornwall - on - Hudson , New York , and then entered the United States Military Academy at West Point from which he graduated in the class of 1939 with a bachelor of science degree in military science . Military career . Merrell was first assigned to the Cavalry , but quickly secured a transfer to the United States Army Air Corps , finishing both primary and advanced flying school within a year after leaving West Point . World War II . When the United States entered into World War II , Merrell was serving with the Army Air Corps Training Detachment at Lakeland , Florida . Tours of duty with the 39th and 491st Bombardment Group s as provisional commander , and deputy commander , respectively , followed . In May 1944 he went to England and became the air executive officer of the 491st Bombardment Group and later was commander of the 389th Bombardment Group , Eighth Air Force . At the end of the war he moved with the 389th Group to Charleston , South Carolina . Postwar career . From November 1945 until June 1948 , Merrell served with the Air Transport Command at Cincinnati , Ohio , Memphis , Tennessee , Fort Totten , New York , and Westover Air Force Base , Massachusetts . Postwar reorganization changed the Air Transport Command into the Military Air Transport Service ; and in July 1948 , Merrell became chief of staff for MATS ' Atlantic Division . After a year , he was made commander of Kindley Air Force Base , Bermuda . In September 1951 , he was assigned to command the 1600th Air Transport Wing , operating out of Westover Air Force Base . From that post he went to the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base , Alabama , where he graduated in 1954 . He had his next duty tour at U . S . Air Force Headquarters in Washington where he was assigned to the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff , Personnel , chief of the Plans and Programs Division , in July 1954 , and a year later as deputy director , Directorate of Personnel Planning . Merrell was reassigned to MATS at McGuire Air Force Base , New Jersey , in 1959 . There he was deputy commander , then commander of its Eastern Transport component . From McGuire he went to MATS Headquarters , Scott Air Force Base , Illinois , in September 1960 to become deputy chief of staff for plans . In January 1962 , he returned to Washington , D . C . , to serve as director of the budget , Headquarters U . S . Air Force . He assumed the position of comptroller of the U . S . Air Force in November 1964 . Merrell was named vice commander of U . S . Air Forces in Europe in August 1967 , and became commander of the Air Force Logistics Command in March 1968 . A command pilot , his decorations included the Distinguished Service Medal , Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster , Distinguished Flying Cross , Air Medal , Army Commendation Medal , and the French Croix de Guerre . Later life . Merrell retired from the Air Force on September 12 , 1972 and died on August 15 , 1993 .