Paul K . Carlton General Paul Kendall Carlton ( April 14 , 1921 – November 23 , 2009 ) , also known as P . K . Carlton , was commander in chief of the Military Airlift Command , with headquarters at Scott Air Force Base , Illinois . Biography . Carlton was born in Manchester , New Hampshire , on April 14 , 1921 , and graduated from Academy High School , Erie , Pennsylvania , in 1939 . He attended the University of Pittsburgh and Ohio University , and in September 1941 entered the Army Air Corps aviation cadet program . He received his pilot wings and commission as a second lieutenant in April 1942 at Albany Army Airfield , Georgia . Carlton was a B - 17 Flying Fortress instructor pilot with Air Training Command until 1944 . He then flew B - 29 aircraft with the first group operating against the Japanese mainland from India and China , accumulating a total of 350 combat hours . Following World War II , from January 1946 to September 1949 , he was assigned to Strategic Air Command ' s first atomic bomb organization , the 509th Bombardment Wing , Roswell Air Force Base , New Mexico . This was followed by a four - year assignment as aide - de - camp to SAC Commander in Chief General Curtis E . LeMay . From October 1953 to January 1956 , arlton was assigned to March Air Force Base , California , as director of operations , 320th Bombardment Wing , and later as director of plans , 15th Air Force . He went to Guam in January 1956 and became director of operations for SAC ' s 3d Air Division at Andersen Air Force Base . He returned to the United States in November 1957 and served the next one and a half years as deputy commander of the 93d Bombardment Wing and the Combat Crew Training School for B - 52 and KC - 135 aircrews at Castle Air Force Base , California . He assumed command of the 4126th Strategic Wing , Beale Air Force Base , California , in May 1959 . Carlton was selected to attend the National War College in Washington , D . C . , from August 1961 to June 1962 , during which time he also attended The George Washington University . In June 1962 Carlton assumed command of the 379th Bombardment Wing at Wurtsmith Air Force Base , Michigan , and in November 1963 , was assigned as commander of the 305th Bombardment Wing , Bunker Hill Air Force Base , Indiana . In July 1965 , Carlton was assigned to SAC headquarters at Offutt Air Force Base , Nebraska , with dual responsibilities as chief , Single Integrated Operational Plan s Division , Joint Strategic Target Planning Staff , and chief , Operations Plans Division , Directorate of operations . He assumed duties as assistant deputy chief of staff for operations in June 1967 . Carlton assumed command of the 1st Strategic Aerospace Division , Vandenberg Air Force Base , California , in August 1968 . He returned to Headquarters SAC in March 1969 to serve as deputy chief of staff for operations . He next served as commander of the 15th Air Force , with headquarters at March Air Force Base , California , from August 1969 until September 1972 when he assumed command of the Military Airlift Command . On February 1 , 1977 , when MAC was designated as a specified command , Carlton became CINCMAC . He retired from the Air Force March 31 , 1977 . While serving as commander , achievements by Military Airlift Command people resulted in award of the 1972 Benjamin D . Foulois Flying Safety Trophy ; the 1973 Harmon International Trophy for the 1972 nonstop HC - 130 flight from Ching Chuan Kang Air Base , Taiwan , to Scott Air Force Base , Illinois ; the 1974 Mackay Trophy , for the prisoner of war release , Operation Homecoming ; the 1974 David C . Schilling Award and the 1974 Harmon International Trophy , both for the American airlift to Israel , in which MAC C - 141 s and C - 5 Galaxies moved 22 , 395 tons 6 , 500 miles by air to Israel in 33 days ; and a special Humanitarian Award from Milwaukee ' s Trans - Aire ' 75 Exposition for MAC ' s many humanitarian achievements , including the airlift of Vietnamese and Cambodian orphans to their new homes in the United States and the massive airlift evacuation of Vietnamese refugees . Carlton also received the 1975 Reserve Officers Association ' s Minuteman Hall of Fame Award . A command pilot , Carlton has more than 12 , 000 flying hours and has flown the B - 47 , B - 52 , including the " H " model , supersonic B - 58 Hustler , KC - 135 , C - 141 , C - 5 and the Mach 3 plus SR - 71 strategic reconnaissance aircraft . He is a member of the Air Force Association ( Citation of Honor , 1973 ) , Order of Daedalians , American Defense Preparedness Association , and the National Defense Transportation Association . The Senate confirmed his presidential nomination to the grade of general October 9 , 1972 . He died in 2009 . Awards and decorations . His military decorations and awards include the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal , Silver Star , Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster , Distinguished Flying Cross , Purple Heart , Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters , and the Army Commendation Medal .