Ralph Francis Stearley Ralph Francis Stearley , CBE , ( July 25 , 1898 - February 3 , 1973 ) was a United States Army and Air Force officer . He is best known as a general in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II . Stearly was born at Brazil , Indiana , in 1898 . He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point , New York , and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the cavalry on November 1 , 1918 . He transferred to the Air Service in 1925 and commanded the IX Tactical Air Command during World War II , supporting the United States First Army during combat operations in Europe . Education . After graduation he remained at the academy until the following July , when he made a tour of battlefields in Europe . Upon his return to the United States in October 1919 , he entered the Cavalry School at Fort Riley , Kansas , from which he graduated the following July . He then joined the 4th Cavalry at Fort Brown , Texas . He entered Yale University in New Haven , Connecticut , in August 1921 and after completing the communications engineering course in June 1922 was assigned to the 4th Cavalry at Fort McIntosh , Texas . In March 1923 he joined the 1st Signal Troop of the 1st Cavalry at Fort Bliss , Texas . Early career . In March 1925 he was transferred to the Air Service and went to Brooks Field , Texas , for training at the Primary Flying School . In September of that year he was transferred to Kelly Field , Texas , where he attended the Advanced Flying School . Upon graduation in March 1926 , earning his rating of Airplane Pilot , he remained at Kelly Field for duty with the 3rd Attack Group . He was ordered to the Philippines in July 1928 for duty with the 4th Composite Group at Nichols Field . Upon returning to the United States in July 1930 , he was again assigned to the 3rd Attack Group , now at Fort Crockett , Texas , where he commanded the 13th Attack Squadron . In February 1934 he went to Chicago , Illinois , for duty with the Army Air Corps Mail Operations , and in August of that year he entered the Air Corps Tactical School at Maxwell Field , Alabama . In September 1935 he entered the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth , Kansas . He graduated the following June , at which time he returned to Maxwell Field for a two - year tour as an instructor at the Air Corps Tactical School . In July and August 1938 he attended the Chemical Warfare School at Edgewood Arsenal , Maryland , after which he returned to Maxwell Field . In May 1940 he became assistant executive officer in the Training and Operations Division of the Office of the Chief of Air Corps in Washington , which later became the Flying Training Command . World War II . During April 1942 he served on the Canadian - American Military Board and in June of that year was appointed chief of the Air Group of the Military Intelligence Service of the War Department General Staff in Washington , D . C . . He became director of Air Support at Army Air Forces headquarters in January 1943 and the following May assumed command of the I Air Support Command at Morris Field , N . C . , which was soon redesignated the I Tactical Air Division . In April 1944 he joined the Ninth Air Force in the European theater as A - 3 ( chief of operations ) . The following August he became assistant chief of staff for G - 3 of the newly - organized First Allied Airborne Army , and in April 1945 was appointed commanding general of the IX Tactical Air Command of the Ninth Air Force , which operated in France and Northern Germany . The following September he became commander of the Air Section , Fifteenth Army Theater General Board , in the European theater . Post - war . He returned to Air Force headquarters in January 1946 for duty as deputy chief of the Legislative and Liaison Division of the War Department General Staff . Two years later , he was appointed director of the Legislative and Liaison Division of the Directorate of Public Relations in the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force . He was named commanding general of the Fourteenth Air Force at Orlando Air Force Base , Fla . , in July 1948 and retained that position when the 14th Air Force was moved to Robins Air Force Base , Georgia , in October 1949 . In July 1950 he was appointed commanding general of the Twentieth Air Force at Kadena Air Base , Okinawa . Awards and commendations . He was rated a command pilot , combat observer and aircraft observer .