David A . Burchinal David Arthur Burchinal ( April 17 , 1915 – August 17 , 1990 ) was a United States Air Force four - star general who served as Deputy Commander in Chief , United States European Command ( DCINCEUR ) , from 1966 to 1973 . Biography . Burchinal was born in Washington , Pennsylvania , in 1915 . He received his bachelor of arts degree in 1938 from Brown University in Providence , Rhode Island , where he was elected a member of Phi Beta Kappa . He entered pilot training at Randolph Field , Texas , in June 1939 , and graduated in 1940 with a commission as second lieutenant and his pilot wings . In June 1965 he was awarded an honorary doctorate of laws degree by Brown University . In August 1968 Burchinal was presented an honorary doctor of laws degree from the University of Utah at England ' s Cambridge University . His first military assignment was as an observer of Army field exercises at Fort Benning , Georgia . He then became an instructor at Brooks Field , Texas . From May 2 , 1940 , until July 28 , 1941 , Burchinal served successively as an engineering officer , transport pilot , test pilot , and assistant adjutant at the San Antonio Air Depot , Duncan Field , Texas . He then assumed duties as aide to the commanding general of the Air Service Command at Patterson Field , Ohio , in Washington , D . C . , and in London , England . In February 1943 Burchinal became operations officer and later , deputy commander for the 330th Bombardment Group at Alamogordo , New Mexico , and Biggs Field , Texas . Remaining at Biggs Field , he was reassigned in July 1943 to the XX Bomber Command as assistant A - 3 for the 16th Bombardment Operations Training Wing . He was on this job only six months when in December 1943 he was named military air attaché at Ottawa , Canada . Culminating six months of attaché duty , Burchinal returned to the U . S . in June 1944 for duties as Wing A - 3 at Headquarters 313th Bombardment Wing , Peterson Field , Colorado . Six months later he was en route to the Pacific area as A - 3 for - the 313th Bombardment Wing based on Tinian . He later became deputy chief of staff for operations of the wing and in March 1945 , became deputy A - 3 Headquarters XXI Bomber Command on Guam in the Marianas Islands . In September 1945 General Burchinal became A - 3 for the Twentieth Air Force and , in November the same year , assumed duties as military analyst , U . S . Strategic Bombing Survey in Tokyo , Japan . One month later he returned to the United States . He stayed with the War Department in Washington , D . C . , until June 1946 , working as research analyst , U . S . Strategic Bombing Survey , and then moved to Maxwell Field , Alabama , as student and instructor on the first faculty of the Air War College . He later became assistant chief of the air strategy division in the Air War College , a job he held until called back to Washington , D . C . , in March 1949 . Upon his return to Washington , D . C . , Burchinal became chief of the Program Analysis Division in the Directorate of Program Standards and Cost Control in the Office of the Comptroller , Headquarters U . S . Air Force . In April 1951 he was transferred to the Air Force Council , also in Washington , D . C . , as the first secretary of the unit . Two years later , in May 1953 , he went to Smoky Hill Air Force Base , Kansas , as commander of the 40th Bombardment Wing . In January 1954 he moved to Davis - Monthan Air Force Base , Arizona , as commander of the 43d Bombardment Wing . In August 1955 Burchinal became chief of staff for Headquarters Eighth Air Force , Strategic Air Command , Westover Air Force Base , Massachusetts . In November 1958 Burchinal returned to Washington , D . C . , as deputy director , J - 3 ( Operations ) , for the Joint Staff in the Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff . He was transferred to Headquarters U . S . Air Force and was assigned to the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff , Plans and Programs , as deputy director of plans in September 1960 , advanced to the director of plans in January 1961 , and became deputy chief of staff for plans and programs in August 1962 . He held this position , which was later redesignated deputy chief of staff for plans and operations , until February 1964 . He then became director of the Joint Staff , Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff . Burchinal assumed duties as deputy commander in chief , U . S . European Command in July 1966 and served in that capacity until he retired from the Air Force on March 1 , 1973 . He died of cancer on August 17 , 1990 . Audio File : http : / / 128 . 143 . 21 . 78 / exhibits / tonkin / audio / NMCC _ vn _ 01 _ 10 . wav The Gulf of Tonkin , 1964 Perspectives from the Lyndon Johnson and National Military Command Center Tapes Presidential Recordings Program Miller Center of Public Affairs : : University of Virginia Awards and decorations . Burchinal ' s awards and decorations included the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal , Silver Star , Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster , Distinguished Flying Cross , Air Medal , and the Army Commendation Medal , with two oak leaf clusters .