Richard H. Ellis | |
|---|---|
 Ellis asCINCSAC | |
| Born | July 19, 1919[1] Laurel, Delaware, U.S.[1] |
| Died | March 28, 1989(1989-03-28) (aged 69) Andrews AFB, Maryland, U.S. |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Years of service | 1941–1981 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands | Strategic Air Command Allied Air Forces Central Europe U.S. Air Forces in Europe 16th Air Force 9th Air Force |
| Battles / wars | World War II |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Cross Air Force Distinguished Service Medal (4) Silver Star Legion of Merit (3) Distinguished Flying Cross Air Medal (5) Purple Heart |
Richard Hastings Ellis (July 19, 1919 – March 28, 1989) was aUnited States Air Forcegeneral who served as thecommander in chief of theStrategic Air Command and director of the Joint Strategic Target Planning Staff with headquarters atOffutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. He was also director of the Joint Strategic Connectivity Staff.
Born and raised inLaurel, Delaware, Ellis attendedDickinson College inCarlisle, Pennsylvania. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Dickinson in 1941 and his juris doctor degree from itsSchool of Law in 1949. Ellis was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Dickinson College in 1961; honorary Doctor of Laws degrees from Dickinson School of Law in 1974, theUniversity of Akron in 1979, and theUniversity of Nebraska, Omaha, in 1981.
Ellis entered active military duty in September 1941 as an aviation cadet atMaxwell Field, Alabama. He received his commission andpilot wings atTurner Field, Georgia, in April 1942.
DuringWorld War II, Ellis served with the3rd Bombardment Group in Australia,New Guinea, and the Philippines, and flew more than 200 combat missions in the WesternPacific area. He served as a pilot, commander of the90th Bombardment Squadron, group operations officer and, from September 1944, as group commander. In April 1945, Ellis was assigned as deputy chief of staff,United States Far East Air Forces, in thePhilippine Islands and Japan.
He requested release from active duty, became a member of the Air Force Reserve and entered Dickinson School of Law in 1946. He graduated in 1949 and, afteradmission to the bar inDelaware, practiced law inWilmington. Recalled to active duty in October 1950, he was assigned to HeadquartersTactical Air Command,Langley AFB, Virginia; then as deputy for operations,49th Air Division,Sculthorpe, England; and later as chief, Air Plans and Operations Section,Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe.
From January 1956 to May 1958, Ellis was deputy chief of staff, operations, HeadquartersNineteenth Air Force,Foster AFB, Texas. He was then assigned to the Directorate of Plans, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., first as chief, Weapons Plans Branch, then as assistant director of plans for war plans, and later as assistant director of plans, joint matters.
In July 1961, Ellis become executive to the chief of staff, U.S. Air Force. From August 1963 to June 1965, he commanded the 315th Air Division,Tachikawa Air Base, Japan. He returned to Washington, D.C., and served as deputy director, J-5 (Plans and Policy), with the Joint Staff. In August 1967 he returned to the Air Staff, this time as director of plans. He assumed command of9th Air Force with headquarters atShaw AFB, South Carolina, in September 1969.
Ellis was appointed vice commander in chief ofU.S. Air Forces in Europe in September 1970, became commander, 6th Allied Tactical Air Force, with headquarters atIzmir, Turkey, in April 1971; and commander of Allied Air Forces, Southern Europe, with headquarters atNaples, Italy, in June 1972. He assumed additional duty as commander,Sixteenth Air Force,Torrejon Air Base, Spain, in May 1973.
He served asVice Chief of Staff, U.S. Air Force, from November 1973 to August 1975. He was then appointed commander,Allied Air Forces Central Europe, and commander in chief, U.S. Air Forces in Europe.[2] He assumed command of SAC in August 1977.
Ellis was acommand pilot and earned theMaster Missile and theParachutist badges. He has been awarded theDistinguished Service Cross,Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with threeoak leaf clusters,Silver Star,Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters,Distinguished Flying Cross,Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters,Purple Heart and Grand Officer of the Italian Republic. He was awarded the State of Delaware Distinguished Service Medal by GovernorWalter W. Bacon in 1946. In September 1980, he was presented theAir Force Association's highest honor, the H.H. Arnold Award for significant contributions to national defense. As the recipient of this award he was also named as the association's National Aerospace Man of the Year. General Ellis received the KoreanOrder of National Security Merit, First Class (Tong Il Jang) on May 13, 1981, at theKorean Ministry of National Defense in Seoul. This award, the highest honor given by the Republic of Korea to a foreign military leader, was presented to the general for his important contributions to national defense of the Republic of Korea.
Ellis was promoted to general in 1973 on November 1 (with date of rank September 30), and retired from active duty at age 62 on August 1, 1981.
Ellis died in 1989 at age 69, and was buried atArlington National Cemetery.[3]
Source:[1]
| Insignia | Rank | Date |
|---|---|---|
 | General | September 30, 1973 |
 | Lieutenant general | September 1, 1970 |
 | Major general | January 5, 1966 |
 | Brigadier general | August 13, 1962 |
 | Colonel | April 8, 1945 |
 | Lieutenant colonel | July 5, 1944 |
 | Major | January 31, 1944 |
 | Captain | August 9, 1943 |
 | First lieutenant | April 24, 1943 |
 | Second lieutenant | April 29, 1942 |
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Commander, Strategic Air Command 1977—1981 | Succeeded by |
This article incorporatespublic domain material from the United States Air Force
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