Martin F. Scanlon
Martin Francis Scanlon | |
|---|---|
| Battles/wars | Occupation of Veracruz World War I:
|
| Awards | Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star Legion of Merit Air Medal Order of Polonia Restituta (Poland) Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus (Italy) |
| Other work | Director of export and vice president of Republic Aviation |
Martin Francis Scanlon (11 August 1889 – 26 January 1980) was a general officer in the United States Air Force during World War II.
After joining the
Between the wars he was an assistant military attaché in Rome and London, and was the military attaché in London from 1939 to 1941, during the first part of World War II. He was an Assistant Chief of the Air Staff from July 1941 to March 1942 at Headquarters, United States Army Air Forces, and then went to Australia as commanding general, Air Command No. 2, based at Townsville, Queensland. As such he was in charge of the air forces in New Guinea during the Kokoda Track campaign.
In September 1942, he returned to the United States where he commanded the 38th Flying Training Wing and the 36th Flying Training Wing. He retired from the United States Air Force in 1948, and was director of export and vice president of Republic Aviation until 1957.
Early life
Martin Francis Scanlon was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, on 11 August 1889. He attended the University of Pennsylvania from 1908 to 1909, and Cornell University from 1910 to 1911, before being commissioned in the United States Army as a second lieutenant in the Infantry on 24 April 1912.[1] He initially served with the 7th Infantry Regiment, but transferred to the 19th Infantry Regiment. This regiment patrolled the border with Mexico from Fort Crockett, Texas. He participated in the United States occupation of Veracruz from May to October 1914, when the 19th Infantry returned to Galveston, Texas.[2]
World War I
Scanlon was at
Scanlon assumed command of the
He went to England, where he trained with the
Between the wars
On returning to the United States in July 1919, he became commanding officer of
Scanlon was the assistant military attaché for air at the
After a four-year tour, he returned to the United States to become commander of the
World War II
Scanlon was assigned to Headquarters, United States Army Air Forces as an Assistant Chief of the Air Staff from July 1941 to March 1942. He was then sent to Australia as commanding general, Air Command No. 2, based at Townsville, Queensland.[1] As such he was in charge of the air forces in New Guinea during the Kokoda Track campaign. When Major General George Kenney took over as commander, Allied Forces in the South West Pacific Area from Lieutenant General George Brett in August 1942, he formed an unfavourable impression. He later recalled:
I had known Mike ever since 1918 and liked him immensely, but he was miscast in this job. He had been an air attaché in Rome and London for the best part of the last ten years, with a tour as intelligence officer in Washington, I don't know why they sent him up to New Guinea; he was not an operator and everyone from the kids on up knew it.[3]
Kenney replaced Scanlon with Brigadier General
Later life
After retiring from the
Scanlon died from
Notes
- ^ Air University. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Brigadier General Martin F. Scanlon". U.S. Air Force. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
- ^ Kenney 1949, p. 35.
- ^ Kenney 1949, pp. 41, 57.
- ^ Washington Post. 31 January 1980. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
References
- OCLC 37302833.
