Robert H . Warren Lieutenant General Robert Hamilton Warren ( July 30 , 1917 – January 9 , 2010 ) was a U . S . Air Force General and was the fourth Superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy . Biography . Warren was born in Yankton , South Dakota in 1917 . He graduated from Yankton High School in 1934 , attended Yankton College for two years , and then attended the United States Military Academy , graduating in 1940 . In 1941 he graduated from flying school and received his pilot wings . He next was assigned to the 29th Bombardment Group at MacDill Field , Florida as a B - 18 Bolo pilot where he flew antisubmarine patrol duty from Newfoundland and Florida before and during the early days of World War II . In 1942 he moved to Boise , Idaho , with the 29th Group and participated in the B - 17 crew and unit training program as a flight commander , squadron commander and then for a year as deputy commander of the 15th Bombardment Wing . During 1944 and 1945 he flew combat with Fifteenth Air Force B - 24 units in the European Theater of Operations as a squadron commander , 47th Wing operations officer , and as commander of the 376th Bombardment Group . In 1945 he returned with the 376th Bombardment Group to Grand Island , Nebraska , where the group was reequipped and transitioned to B - 29 aircraft . General Warren was assigned to Headquarters Army Air Forces in Washington , D . C . , in 1946 . He went to the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base , Alabama in August 1949 and upon graduation in June 1950 , was assigned to Headquarters , Far East Air Forces where he served as director of operations , then assistant deputy for operations during the three years of the Korean War . He returned to the United States in 1953 and again was assigned to Headquarters U . S . Air Force in Washington , D . C . , where he served as executive assistant to the secretary of the Air Force , and for two years as military assistant to the deputy secretary of Defense . In July 1959 he went to the Air Proving Ground Center at Eglin Air Force Base , Florida , where he served as vice commander , then commander , except for a six - month period of duty in 1961 as senior member , Military Armistice Commission , United Nations Command , Korea . He was named fourth superintendent of the U . S . Air Force Academy in July 1962 and served in this position until July 1965 . From August 1965 to April 1967 , he served as chief of staff of the Air Force Systems Command at Andrews Air Force Base , Maryland . In April 1967 General Warren again returned to Headquarters U . S . Air Force and served as assistant deputy chief of staff , personnel . In July 1968 General Warren became the director of military assistance in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense ( International Security Affairs ) . Subsequently in March 1969 with the assumption of the additional responsibility for International Logistics Negotiations , he became the deputy assistant secretary of defense ( international security affairs ) for military assistance and sales . Awards and decorations . His military decorations include the Legion of Merit with three oak leaf cluster s , Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster , Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters , Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster and the French Croix de Guerre with Palm . He was a command pilot . Warren retired from the Air Force July 31 , 1971 .