Died on active duty April 21, 1985
General Jerome F. O'Malley was commander of Tactical Air Command, with headquarters at Langley Air Force Base, Va. His command comprises more than 113,000 military and civilian personnel, stationed at 18 major Tactical Air Command installations and other units in the United States, Panama, Okinawa and Iceland. Tactical Air Command is the gaining organization for 64,000 Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve personnel throughout the United States.
General O'Malley was born in Carbondale, Pa., and graduated from St. Rose Parochial School in 1949. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, N.Y., in 1953 with a bachelor of science degree in military science and a commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. General O'Malley completed the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., and concurrently earned a master's degree in business administration from The George Washington University, Washington, D.C., in 1965, and graduated from the Naval War College, Newport, R.I., in 1970.
After receiving his pilot wings in August 1954 at Bryan Air Force Base, Texas, General O'Malley received jet training in F-86 Sabrejets at Perrin Air Force Base, Texas.
In January 1955 he was assigned as an air training officer at the U.S. Air Force Academy, then located at Lowry Air Force Base, Colo. He attended B-47 transition training at McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., from December 1957 to February 1958, and was then assigned as a B-47 pilot with the 529th Bombardment Squadron at Plattsburgh Air Force Base, N.Y. From June 1960 to August 1964, General O'Malley served as an aide to General Hunter Harris, who was 8th Air Force commander at Westover Air Force Base, Mass., and then vice commander in chief, Strategic Air Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.
Following
graduation with distinction from the Air Command and Staff College in June
1965, General O'Malley served as a pilot with the 9th Strategic
Reconnaissance Wing, Beale Air Force Base, Calif. While there he flewthe
first operational mission of the SR-71, the free world's most advanced
strategic reconnaissance aircraft. In July 1969 he entered the Naval
War College.
From July 1970 to April 1971, he was director of operations for the 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, and flew RF-4Cs. General O'Malley then left for Southeast Asia and served as vice commander and later commander of the 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Republic of Vietnam. In September 1971 he was assigned as vice commander of the 432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand. He flew 116 combat missions in F-4D's and RF-4Cs.
He commanded the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base from May 1972 to May 1973. He was then named commander of the 22nd Bombardment Wing, March Air Force Base, Calif., and later served as chief of staff for 15th Air Force, also located at March Air Force Base. He was then assigned as assistant deputy chief of staff for plans at SAC headquarters, Offutt Air Force Base, from July 1974 to June 1975, when he was named deputy chief of staff for operations plans.
In January 1977 the general moved to Washington, D.C., for duty as vice director for operations, Operations Directorate, Joint Staff, Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. General O'Malley served as assistant deputy chief of staff, operations, plans and readiness at U.S. Air Force headquarters, from May 1979 to August 1980, when he became deputy chief of staff for plans and operations. The general was appointed vice chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force in June 1982 and in October 1983 was named commander in chief of the Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. He assumed his present command in September 1984.
General O'Malley is a command pilot with more than 5,000 flying hours.
His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal
with oak leaf cluster, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit,
Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster, Meritorious Service Medal,
Air Medal with nine oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal with
three oak leaf clusters, Presidential Unit Citation Emblem with two oak
leaf clusters, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Ribbon with "V" device
and three oak leaf clusters, Republic of Korea Order of National Security
Merit, Republic of
Vietnam Air Service Medal Honor Class and Republic of Vietnam Gallantry
Cross with palm.
He was promoted to general June 1, 1982, with same date of rank.
(Current as of January 1985)
