Thomas S . Moorman Lieutenant General Thomas Samuel Moorman ( July 11 , 1910 – December 23 , 1997 ) was the fifth Superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs , Colorado . Moorman was born at the Presidio of Monterey , California on July 11 , 1910 . He attended John J . Phillips High School in Birmingham , Alabama . In 1933 he graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point , New York and entered the Air Corps flying training school at Randolph Field , Texas . He earned his pilot wings in October 1934 and was assigned to the 4th Observation Squadron , 5th Composite Group at Luke Field , Hawaii . In July 1936 , General Moorman was reassigned to the 97th Reconnaissance Squadron at Mitchel Field , New York for a 12 - month tour . In 1937 General Moorman entered the field of meteorology , obtained a master of science degree from the California Institute of Technology and embarked on a sphere of activity which would dominate the next 20 years of his career . After a two - year assignment as Weather Officer at Randolph Field , Texas , he gained valuable information in meteorology through further study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology . In July 1941 , General Moorman was assigned to Air Corps Headquarters in Washington , D . C . , where he served as chief climatologist and assistant director of the Air Corps Research Center and liaison officer to the U . S . Weather Bureau . From May 1943 until December 1943 , General Moorman was commanding officer of the 21st Weather Squadron , first at Bradley Field , Connecticut , and later in England . General Moorman became staff weather officer and later director of weather for Ninth Air Force in the European Theater of Operations , a position he held from January 1944 until December 1944 . From January 1945 until June 1945 , he served as commanding officer of the 21st Weather Squadron and Staff Weather Officer for Ninth Air Force . After V - J Day in 1945 , General Moorman returned to the U . S . as deputy chief of staff for Air Weather Service . One year later he became air weather officer at Headquarters Army Air Forces and remained in that position until he entered the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base , Alabama . From July 1948 until June 1951 , General Moorman served with the United States Far East Air Force in Tokyo as commander of the 2143d Air Weather Wing ( now the 1st Weather Wing ) , and upon his return to the United States he became deputy commander of the Air Weather Service at Andrews Air Force Base , Maryland . On April 22 , 1954 , his 16 years of weather operations culminated in his appointment as Air Weather Service commander , responsible for providing environmental support to the Air Force and Army through weather central forecast centers , base weather stations , observation sites , worldwide weather reconnaissance and atmospheric sampling . Returning to the Far East in 1958 , General Moorman assumed command of the Thirteenth Air Force at Clark Air Base , Philippines . He was responsible for air operations throughout Southeast Asia , as well as for the air defense of the Philippines in conjunction with the Philippine Air Force . On July 28 , 1961 , General Moorman became vice commander in chief , Headquarters Pacific Air Forces , Hickam Air Force Base , Hawaii , and on July 1 , 1965 , General Moorman became Superintendent of the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs , Colorado . Among his awards and decorations are the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal , Legion of Merit with two oak leaf cluster s , Bronze Star and the Air Medal . He retired August 1 , 1970 , and died December 23 , 1997 at the Falcons Landing retirement community in Sterling , Virginia .