William H . Ginn Jr . William Henry Ginn Jr . ( September 21 , 1928 – June 1 , 2010 ) was a Lieutenant General in the U . S . Air Force . He was born in 1928 and died in 2010 at the age of 81 . His last post was to serve as the Commander of the U . S . Forces Japan and Fifth Air Force with headquarters at Yokota Air Base in Japan . Prior to that position he served as an assistant chief of staff for operations , Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in Belgium . Ginn was also Assistant deputy chief of staff for plans at the Tactical Air Command at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia . Having served with distinction as an Air Commando in Special Operations , General Ginn was inducted in 2002 into the Air Commando Hall of Fame . Early life . General Ginn was born in 1928 , in Philadelphia . He graduated from Atlantic City ( N . J . ) High School in 1946 . From 1946 to 1948 , he attended Wesleyan University , Middletown , Conn . , where he was a New England intercollegiate swimmer . Under Operation Bootstrap General Ginn completed his bachelor of arts degree in social sciences from Florida State University at Tallahassee in 1958 . He was chosen to attend the Harvard University Graduate School of Business under the Air Force Institute of Technology program in 1960 and earned a master ' s degree with distinction in business administration in 1962 . During the summer of 1961 he served as consultant to the president of Raytheon Corporation in a training - with - industry program . General Ginn was a distinguished graduate from the Squadron Officer School and the Air War College , both at Maxwell Air Force Base , Ala . , in 1956 and 1966 , respectively . Military career . General Ginn began his military career in 1947 when he enlisted in the Marine Corps for the platoon leader ' s course conducted at Quantico , Va . He resigned from the Marine Corps to enter aviation cadet flight training with the Air Force in September 1948 at Goodfellow Air Force Base , Texas . General Ginn graduated and received his commission in September 1949 and then attended the central instructor school at Randolph Air Force Base , Texas . From 1949 to 1953 , he served as a flight instructor and standardization / evaluation pilot at Randolph and Goodfellow Air Force Bases , Craig Air Force Base , Ala . ; and Pinecastle Air Force Base , Fla . After attending F - 86 fighter gunnery school at Nellis Air Force Base , Nev . , General Ginn was a flight commander and operations officer with the 51st Fighter Wing in South Korea , Okinawa and Taiwan . From June 1955 to September 1958 , General Ginn was an instructor for all - weather jet interceptors at Tyndall Air Force Base , Fla . During this period he also attended Florida State University under Operation Bootstrap . For the next two years , still at Tyndall Air Force Base , he served as group inspector , administrative officer and flight instructor with the 3625th Combat Crew Training Wing . General Ginn entered Harvard University Graduate School of Business in September 1960 . From July 1962 through August 1965 , he was chief of the Management Contracts Office , Electronic Systems Division of the Air Force Systems Command at L . G . Hanscom Field , Mass . He entered the Air War College in August 1965 and graduated in June 1966 . General Ginn then served for one year as a systems manager in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff , Systems and Logistics , Headquarters U . S . Air Force , Washington , D . C . During this assignment he was involved with a special three - month study for the Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff . He then was assigned to the Office of the Secretary of Defense as assistant for logistics guidance . In September 1968 General Ginn went to the Republic of Vietnam , where he flew more than 300 combat missions in 17 types of aircraft while serving as deputy commander for operations of the 14th Special Operations Wing , Air Commandos , at Nha Trang Air Base . He was responsible for combat operations from 10 bases in Vietnam and one in Thailand . In October 1969 General Ginn transferred to the Air War College as chief of management science studies . In April 1971 he was appointed vice commandant of the Squadron Officer School and in December 1971 he assumed command of the school . He was selected as commandant of the Air Command and Staff College in January 1973 and while there he lectured on leadership and management at military schools in the United States , Canada , United Kingdom , Australia and South America . In February 1974 General Ginn was assigned to Headquarters Tactical Air Command at Langley Air Force Base , Va . , as assistant deputy chief of staff for plans . He was named deputy chief of staff for plans in June 1974 . From August 1975 to January 1977 , he was commander of the U . S . Logistics Group at Ankara , Turkey , where he had command jurisdiction over all U . S . Air Forces in Europe units in Turkey . In January 1977 he became deputy chief of staff , plans , Headquarters U . S . Air Forces in Europe , Ramstein Air Base , Germany . In July 1977 he was assigned as assistant chief of staff for operations , Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in Belgium . He was responsible for operational readiness and training of Allied Command Europe forces . He assumed his present position June 14 , 1979 . He is a command pilot with more than 6 , 000 flying hours . His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal , Legion of Merit , Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster , Meritorious Service Medal , Air Medal with 12 oak leaf clusters , Navy Gold Star , Joint Service Commendation Medal , Air Force Commendation Medal , Army Commendation Medal , Air Force Outstanding Unit Award ribbon with " V " device and two oak leaf clusters , Combat Readiness Medal and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with gold star . He was awarded the Order of Daedalians Muir S . Fairchild Award in 1974 . General Ginn was promoted to lieutenant general July 1 , 1979 , with date of rank June 29 , 1979 .