Thomas J. Hanley Jr.
Thomas James Hanley Jr. | |
|---|---|
_at_West_Point_in_1915.png) At West Point in 1915 | |
| Born | March 29, 1893 Coshocton, Ohio |
| Died | March 9, 1969 (aged 75) Boca Raton, Florida |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/ | United States Air Force |
| Years of service | 1915-1952 |
| Rank | Major General |
| Commands held | Mitchel Field, First Air Force base, Southesast Air Force Training Center, Eastern Flight Training Command, Air Service Command China-India-Burma, 11th Air Force |
| Battles/wars | WWII |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Medal, Honorary Companion of the Order of the Bath |
| Spouse(s) | Cecelia Meilleur |
Thomas James Hanley, Jr. (March 23, 1893[1] – March 9, 1969) was an American Air Force major general who served in the Pacific Theater during World War Two and commanded the 11th Air Force at the start of the Cold War.
Early life
Thomas Hanley was born, in Coshocton, Ohio, the third of six children of Thoms Hanley Sr, an Irish immigrant, and Mary (O'Connor) Hanley.[2]
Military service
Hanley graduated from the United States Military Academy with the Class of 1915.[3] He was commissioned as a second lieutenant of Infantry on June 12, 1915. Though originally assigned to the Twenty-Third Infantry in Texas, Hanley was moved to the Aviation Section of the Signal Corps in August 1916. He promptly entered the Corps's Aviation School in San Diego and was able to graduate from flying school by the following April. Following graduation, Hanley was assigned to the First Aero Squadron in New Mexico for about a month before being transferred to Texas to serve with the Fifth and then the Nineteenth Aero Squadrons.[2]
In February 1918, he was given his first command, that of the 274th Aero Squadron, based at
After returning to the United States in March 1924, Hanley was given command of
Hanley went on to be named the chief of the First Air Force and the base commander for that unit in June 1941. By the following January he had been assigned to the Army Air Force headquarters in Washington, where he later became the chief of staff. In May 1943 Hanley was given command of the
Hanley returned to Army Air Force headquarters in the United States in January 1946 and was given command of the
Awards
On November 23, 1944 Hanley was awarded the Army Distinguished Service Medal for "exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service...as Commanding General Eastern Flight Training Command".[3]
He was also awarded the Legion of Merit while serving as the Deputy Chief of Staff for the Headquarters of the U.S. Army Air Force. Hanley went on to earn a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a second Legion of Merit.[3]
Hanley was awarded the Air Medal and appointed Honorary Companion of the Order of the Bath.[4]
Personal life
Hanley married Cecelia Meilleur on June 12, 1917. They had two sons, Thomas James III, who also served in the Air Force, and Dexter Long, a Jesuit priest, as well as one daughter, Cecile Marie.[4]
He died in Boca Raton, Florida on March 9, 1969, and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.[5]
References
- ^ Fogerty, Robert P. (1953). "Biographical Data on Air Force General Officers, 1917-1952, Volume 1 – A thru L" (PDF). Air Force Historical Research Agency. pp. 746–750. USAF historical studies: no. 91. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 31, 2021. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
- ^ a b c "Major General Thomas James Hanley Jr". United States Air Force. Retrieved November 29, 2016.
- ^ a b c "Thomas James Haney, Jr". Military Times. Retrieved November 29, 2016.
- ^ OCLC 2143230.
- ^ "Gen. Hanley, Led Fliers in Far East". Miami Herald. Boca Raton. UPI. March 11, 1969. p. 48. Retrieved December 1, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.