Joseph R . Holzapple Joseph Randall Holzapple ( September 7 , 1914 – November 14 , 1973 ) was a United States Air Force four - star general who served as Commander in Chief , U . S . Air Forces in Europe ( CINCUSAFE ) from 1969 to 1971 . Military career . Holzapple was born in 1914 in Peoria , Illinois , where he graduated from Bradley University in 1938 with a bachelor of science degree in business administration . He received an honorary doctor of laws degree from the same university in 1958 . He entered aviation cadet training in December 1940 and graduated in August 1941 with a commission as second lieutenant and his pilot wings . Subsequently he performed various flying duties at Jackson , Mississippi ; Patterson Field , Ohio ; and Barksdale Field , Louisiana . He was ordered to the European Theater of Operations in September 1942 , where he served as operations officer and then commander of the 319th Bombardment Group , Twelfth Air Force . He flew 91 combat missions in North Africa and Europe with a total of 390 combat hours primarily in B - 26 Marauder aircraft . In November 1944 the 319th Group converted to B - 25 Mitchell aircraft and used them for approximately two months before the group returned to the United States where it was reequipped with A - 26 Invader aircraft . In May 1945 the group moved to Okinawa where it operated until August 1945 . During this period , Holzapple flew eight combat missions over Japan and mainland China , totaling 33 combat hours . Holzapple returned to the United States in February 1946 and was assigned to Headquarters Army Air Forces , Washington , D . C . , with duties in the Requirements Division of the Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff for Training and Requirements . He entered the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk , Virginia , in August 1949 and completed the Joint Operations Course there in January 1950 . He returned to Washington , D . C . , and was assigned to Headquarters U . S . Air Force for duties with the Air Force Special Weapons Project . In September 1951 he was assigned to the Air Research and Development Command at Baltimore , Maryland , where he served first as the deputy for strategic air and later as assistant for operational readiness . From August 1954 to August 1955 , he attended the National War College at Washington , D . C . After graduation , Holzapple went overseas to RAF Sculthorpe to become commander of the 47th Bombardment Wing . In October 1956 he was assigned to U . S . Air Forces in Europe with headquarters at Wiesbaden , Germany , as deputy chief of staff for operations , and later became chief of staff . In July 1958 Holzapple again was assigned to Headquarters U . S . Air Force , this time as deputy director for operational forces with Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations . In August 1959 he was assigned to the Air Research and Development Command at Wright - Patterson Air Force Base , Ohio , as assistant deputy commander for weapons systems management , and in July 1960 he became commander of Wright Air Development Division . He was reassigned in July 1961 to Headquarters U . S . Air Force as assistant deputy chief of staff for systems and logistics . In May 1964 he became director of the Weapon Systems Evaluation Group , Office of the Director of Defense Research and Engineering , Department of Defense . In September 1966 he returned to Headquarters U . S . Air Force as deputy chief of staff for research and development . Holzapple became commander in chief , U . S . Air Forces in Europe , with headquarters at Lindsey Air Station , Wiesbaden , Germany , and commander of the Fourth Allied Tactical Air Force with headquarters at Ramstein Air Base , Germany , in January 1969 . He received an honorary doctor of laws degree from the University of Utah , Salt Lake City , Utah , in 1970 . He retired from the Air Force on September 1 , 1971 and died on November 14 , 1973 . Awards and decorations . His military decorations included the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster , Silver Star , Legion of Merit , Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster , Air Medal with 18 oak leaf clusters , and Distinguished Unit Citation Emblem with oak leaf cluster . His foreign awards included the Croix de Guerre with etoile d ' argent ( France ) , the Croix de Guerre with palm ( France ) , and the Distinguished Flying Cross ( Great Britain ) . He was a command pilot . References . Information as of .