Years of service 1930–1965 Battles and wars World War II Rank General | Battles/wars World War II Name Walter Sweeney, | |
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Allegiance United States of America Died December 22, 1965, Homestead Air Reserve Base, Florida, United States Education United States Military Academy Awards Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal | ||
Commands held Tactical Air Command Service/branch United States Air Force | ||
General Walter Campbell Sweeney, Jr. (July 23, 1909 – December 22, 1965) was a United States Air Force four-star general who served as commander of the U.S. Air Force Tactical Air Command.
Biography
A native of Wheeling, West Virginia, he was born in 1909. His father, Walter Campbell Sweeney Sr., was a U.S. Army major general and author of the influential Military Intelligence: A New Weapon of War. Sweeney Junior graduated from the United States Military Academy and was commissioned a second lieutenant of infantry in June 1930. In October 1934, he entered primary flying school at Randolph Field, Texas, with subsequent graduation from the advanced flying school in October 1935, at Kelly Field, Texas. His first operational assignment was with the Eighth Attack Squadron of the Third Attack Group at Barksdale Field, Louisiana.
In June 1939, Sweeney joined the Fifth Bomb Group in Hawaii and later transferred to the 11th Bomb Group as commanding officer of the 431st Bomb Squadron. He commanded an Army Air Force Task Group during the Battle of Midway in June 1942. In July 1942, he became the air officer for the Theater Group, Operations Division of the War Department General Staff in Washington, D.C.
In July 1944, Sweeney was assigned to the 73rd Bomb Wing and moved with this unit from Colorado Springs, Colorado, to the Pacific area, serving as chief of staff and later deputy commander. While with the wing in the Marianas, he participated in the first unprecedented low-level attack with B-29s against the Japanese. On a later mission he lost his aircraft, paddled ashore in a life raft, and returned to his island base. In July 1945, he became director of plans of the Strategic Air Force, Pacific Ocean Area, Guam. After the war he served as a member of the Joint War Plans Committee for the Army Air Force in Washington, D.C., until July 1946 when he became an instructor at the National War College.
In October 1947, Sweeney was assigned to the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, and the following year was named director of plans for the Strategic Air Command with headquarters at Omaha, Nebraska.
In April 1953, he was assigned to command the Fifteenth Air Force at March Air Force Base, California. In June 1954, while commander of this strategic bomber force, he led a trio of Stratojets in history's first non-stop flight of jet bombers across the Pacific Ocean.
For six years, from August 1955 until September 1961, Sweeney commanded the Eighth Air Force at Westover Air Force Base, Massachusetts.
In October 1961 Sweeney was promoted to four-star rank and assumed command of the Tactical Air Command with headquarters at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. He retired from the Air Force on August 1, 1965, and died of cancer on December 22, 1965.
Sweeney was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal. He was rated a command pilot.