What key details about frank bladin can be extracted from the following bio? Bio: air vice marshal francis masson -lrb- frank -rrb- bladin , cb , cbe -lrb- 26 august 1898 -- 2 february 1978 -rrb- was a senior commander in the royal australian air force -lrb- raaf -rrb- . born in rural victoria , he graduated from the royal military college , duntroon , in 1920 . bladin transferred from the army to the air force in 1923 , and learned to fly at raaf point cook , victoria . he held training appointments before taking command of no. 1 squadron in 1934 . quiet but authoritative , he was nicknamed '' dad '' in tribute to the concern he displayed for the welfare of his personnel . ranked wing commander at the outbreak of world war ii , by september 1941 bladin had been raised to temporary air commodore . he became air officer commanding north-western area in march 1942 , following the first japanese air raids on darwin , northern territory . personally leading sorties against enemy territory , he earned the united states silver star for gallantry . in july 1943 , bladin was posted to no. 38 group raf in europe , where he was mentioned in despatches . he was appointed a commander of the order of the british empire the same year . promoted acting air vice marshal in 1946 , bladin was among the coterie of senior officers who helped reshape the post-war raaf . his roles in the late 1940s and early 1950s included chief of staff of the british commonwealth occupation force in japan , air officer commanding eastern area -lrb- later raaf air command -rrb- , and air member for personnel . appointed a companion of the order of the bath in 1950 , he retired to his country property in 1953 . he was active for many years in veterans ' affairs before his death in 1978 at the age of seventy-nine .
The answer to this question is:
- alt is head-and-shoulders with pilot 's wings above breast pocket portrait of mustachioed man wearing dark military uniform- branch is royal australian air force- caption is air commodore frank bladin , 1943- battles is world war ii- death date is 2 february 1978- allegiance is australia- nickname is '' dad ''- rank is air vice marshal- birth date is 26 august 1898- serviceyears is 1920 -- 53- name is francis masson -lrb- frank -rrb- bladin- image size is 200- image is uk0481bladin1943.jpg- death place is melbourne- birth place is korumburra , victoria