Seth J. McKee

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Seth J. McKee
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
Silver Star
Legion of Merit (3)
Distinguished Flying Cross
Air Medal
(11)

Seth Jefferson McKee (November 6, 1916 – December 26, 2016) was a

North American Air Defense Command/Commander in Chief, Continental Air Defense Command
from 1969 to 1973.

Early life

McKee was born in 1916, in

Southeast Missouri State Teachers College for three years and the University of Oklahoma for a half year. He began his military career in 1935, as a member of the Missouri Army National Guard, and his Army Air Corps career as an aviation cadet in February 1938. He graduated from flight training in February 1939.[citation needed
]

Military career

From February 1939 until January 1944, McKee served in operations and command positions at squadron and group levels. He then went to the European Theater of Operations and was named deputy commander of the

P-38 Lightning and is credited with destroying two enemy aircraft. At the end of World War II he returned to the United States and served with the 3501st Army Air Forces Bases Unit[2] at Boca Raton Army Air Field in Boca Raton, Florida as commander of the Army Air Forces Radar School. In January 1947 he entered the University of Oklahoma as a student officer and graduated in August 1947 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in government.[citation needed
]

As Fifth Air Force Commander, arriving at Osan Air Base, South Korea, in an F-4 Phantom II fighter, 1968.

After graduation McKee was assigned to Headquarters,

36th Fighter Bomber Group in Europe.[citation needed
]

In June 1953 McKee returned to the United States and was assigned to Headquarters United States Air Force as staff planning officer in the office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations. In February 1954 he was named assistant secretary of the Air Force Council, Office of the Vice Chief of Staff. In July 1956 McKee was transferred to

Homestead Air Force Base, Florida. McKee was assigned to Headquarters, Strategic Air Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, in October 1959, as deputy director of plans and later was named director of plans. In February 1964 he became commander of the 821st Strategic Aerospace Division at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota. In January 1965 McKee was reassigned to Headquarters United States Air Force, Washington, D.C., and named director of plans, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and Operations. In July 1965 he was assigned duty as assistant deputy chief of staff, plans and operations for Joint Chiefs of Staff matters.[citation needed
]

In July 1966 McKee was named commander of

North American Air Defense Command and Continental Air Defense Command (NORAD/CONAD), with headquarters at Ent Air Force Base, Colorado. At this time, he received his fourth star.[2] In July 1973 he was assigned additional duty as commander of United States Aerospace Defense Command.[citation needed
]

McKee's military decorations and awards include the

Order of National Security Merit, Second Class (Republic of Korea).[citation needed
]

Later life and death

McKee retired from the Air Force on September 30, 1973. He

D-Day.[5]

References

  1. ^ National Guard Association of the U.S. Official Proceedings, Volumes 93–96: Seth J. McKee
  2. ^ a b NORAD Public Affairs Release, 1969–70,NORAD Dedicated to Deterrence
  3. ^ AFHRA.af.mil: Factsheet- 2d Bomb Wing Archived 2014-03-23 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ Williams, Devante (2016-11-07). "Air Force General receives France's highest honor". Luke Air Force Base. Retrieved 2016-11-14.
  5. ^ Richard Ruelas (2016-12-27). "Gen. Seth McKee, highest-ranking survivor of D-Day, dies at 100 in Scottsdale". azcentral.com. Retrieved 2016-12-27.

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from Biographies: Seth J. McKee. United States Air Force. Archived from the original on August 9, 2009.

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