Gordon Marion Graham (February 16, 1918 – March 22, 2008) was a United States Air Forcelieutenant general. Graham was a combat pilot who, during World War II was credited with 7 aerial victories making him a flying ace. He is credited with a further 9.5 aircraft destroyed on the ground. By the end of World War II, Graham had flown 73 combat missions in the P-51 Mustang.
Graham began his military career in December 1940 as an aviation cadet and was commissioned as second lieutenant and received his pilot wings upon completion of flying school in August 1941.[2]
By the end of World War II in Europe, General Graham had flown 73 combat missions in North American P-51 Mustang fighter aircraft and had become an ace 7 enemy aircraft in aerial combat plus 9.5 more while strafing airfields, to his credit, while flying with the 355th Fighter Group. In addition, he had one probable and 10 damaged. He was assistant chief of staff for operations, VIII Fighter Command, from October 1945 until February 1946.[2]
Between September 1949 and December 1954, Graham served as chief of the Target Analysis Division in the Office of the Director of Intelligence at Headquarters U.S. Air Force and then as director of targets in the Directorate of Intelligence, Headquarters Far East Air Forces in Japan, during the Korean War[2]
Graham returned to the United States in January 1955 and served first as deputy commander and then from October 1955 as commander of the 31st Strategic Fighter Wing at Turner Air Force Base. As commander, he performed the navigation for his wing's lead element during "Operation Left Hook," a Strategic Air Command fighter wing bombing and navigation competition. The 31st Strategic Fighter Wing won the navigation and maintenance trophies and took second place honors among the seven wings entered in the competition.[2]
Graham led a series of F-84 Thunderjet jet aircraft "Oil Burner" missions which demonstrated that nonstop air refueled, day and night long-range deployments in fighter aircraft were practical. In 1958 he led the first nonstop deployment of F-100 Super Sabre aircraft from the United States to Europe, and he was captain of the 31st Tactical Fighter Wing team which won the Tactical Air Command Fighter Weapons Meet and placed second in worldwide tactical fighter weapons competition.[2]
In January 1959 he returned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force as chief of the Tactical Division and later was director of operational forces in the Directorate of Operations. In July 1962 he went to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, to command the 4th Tactical Fighter Wing and in October 1963 was named vice commander of the Nineteenth Air Force. Graham moved to Langley Air Force Base, in November 1964 to become a member of the Headquarters Tactical Air Command staff. He served as Deputy for Operations from August 1965 to July 1966.[2]
He next went to Southeast Asia and assignment as vice commander of the Seventh Air Force where he flew 146 combat missions in F-4 Phantom and RF-4 Phantom aircraft. He returned to the United States in August 1967 to become commander of the Ninth Air Force at Shaw Air Force Base. In August 1968 General Graham returned to Langley Air Force Base as vice commander of Tactical Air Command.[2]
Graham was a command pilot who, in accruing 9,000 flying hours, flew all of the U.S. Air Force century series jet fighters including the F-111A Aardvark and comparable U.S. Navy fighter aircraft such as the A-7 Corsair. He completed the U.S. Army Airborne Parachutist Course in 1962 and was jump qualified.[2]
Later life
Graham was a member of Tau Beta Pi, the national honorary engineering society; American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineers; American Fighter Aces Association; Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association; Order of Daedalians; Air Force Association; and a life member of the National Rifle Association of America.[2]
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Colonel (Air Corps) Gordon Marion Graham, United States Army Air Forces, for gallantry in action as Pilot of a P-51 Fighter Airplane and Commander of the 354th Fighter Squadron, 355th Fighter Group, Eighth Air Force, in action from October 1944 to April 1945. To better equip himself for the responsibilities attendant to leading Fighter units in combat, Colonel Graham flew practically every position in the squadron formation. His willingness to share in the same risks and dangers as the other pilots quickly earned for him the respect and admiration of the entire unit. As proof of his combat skill, enthusiasm, and zealous fighting spirit, Colonel Graham can look with pride on his outstanding record of nine enemy planes destroyed between 8 April 1945 and 16 April 1945. Colonel Graham's earnest prosecution of the aerial offensive against the enemy during this period reflects great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States.
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