Winfield S. Harpe

Winfield S. Harpe
Air Force Commendation Medal (2)

Winfield Scott Harpe (January 12, 1937 – December 5, 1988) was a United States Air Force officer who served during the Vietnam War and Cold War.

General Harpe died during an attempted forced landing after a technical failure while on a routine training mission outside of Madrid, in Spain.

Education

Harpe was born in 1937, in

School of Government program for senior managers.

Military career

Harpe was a distinguished graduate of the

; and earned the outstanding graduate award. Harpe flew fighter aircraft for the remainder of his career.

In 1966 and 1967, during the intensive air campaigns against

.

Harpe then attended Air Command and Staff College, and upon graduation in August 1970, was assigned as the

T-41s

during this two-year tour of duty in Thailand.

In August 1972 Harpe was assigned to the

Republic of Vietnam

.

In June 1974 Harpe transferred to

. In addition to training pilots for the U.S. Air Force, Harpe's wing had one of the largest contingents of foreign pilots in training in the United States.

Harpe returned to Randolph Air Force Base in June 1980 and served initially as vice commander of the Air Force Military Personnel Center. In March 1982 he became commander of U.S. Air Force Recruiting Service. He was appointed deputy chief of staff for technical training, Headquarters Air Training Command, also at Randolph, in September 1983. In October 1984 he was assigned as director of personnel programs, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Manpower and Personnel Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., and in October 1986 became assistant deputy chief of staff for personnel.

In July 1987 Harpe was named commander of

, Spain. He was responsible for U.S. Air Forces in Spain, Italy, Greece and Turkey.

On 5 December 1988, the Block 30D F-16C Harpe was flying on a training flight, AF serial 86-0316, crashed near Chiloeches, in the Spanish province of Guadalajara, which is close to Torrejón Air Base, outside of Madrid during an attempted forced landing after a technical failure while on a routine training mission. Harpe was killed in the crash. An Air Force spokesman said Harpe was participating in a training mission, flying in formation with three other planes and was near the end of a 90-minute training flight when he crashed.

Harpe was buried in Section 7-A of Arlington National Cemetery, beneath a stone which reads: "A noble man. A knight of the skies."

Decorations

Harpe was a

with oak leaf cluster.

Harpe was promoted to major general on July 1, 1984, with date of rank October 1, 1980.

References

• USAF Biography Page at archive.today (archived 2012-12-12)

 This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Air Force