General Bruce Keener Holloway (September 1, 1912 – September 30, 1999) was a United States Air Force general.[1] A West Point graduate, he was a fighter ace with the United States Army Air Forces in World War II and later served as Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force and commander-in-chief of the Strategic Air Command.
Early life and career
Holloway was one of two children born to Frank P. Holloway, a mill owner, and Elizabeth Keener, a homemaker. He graduated from Knoxville High School in 1929 and studied engineering for two years at the University of Tennessee before attending Marion Military Institute, preparing for appointment to the United States Military Academy, where he graduated in 1937. Assigned to the Army Air Corps, he received his pilot wings in 1938 at Kelly Field, San Antonio, Texas, then served two years with the Sixth Pursuit Squadron and 18th Pursuit Group in Hawaii before taking a postgraduate course in aeronautical engineering at the California Institute of Technology.[2][3]
World War II
After The US entered World War II in December 1941, Holloway was sent to China to observe Chennault's American Volunteer Group (AVG), the Flying Tigers. He became the commander of the 23rd Fighter Group USAAF. During his China tour, Holloway earned status as a fighter ace, shooting down 13 Japanese planes.[4][5] He returned to the US in 1944.
Post-war
As commander of the Army Air Forces' first jet-equipped fighter group in 1946, Holloway pioneered in this new field of tactical jet air operations.
After graduation from the National War College in 1951, he progressed through key staff assignments in both operations and development fields at Headquarters U.S. Air Force. Later, as director of operational requirements, he played a key role in preparing and evaluating proposals for many aircraft and missiles.
Holloway spent four years in Tactical Air Command (TAC) as deputy commander of both the 9th and 12th Air Forces, and in 1961 he was named deputy commander in chief of the U.S. Strike Command at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. Later in that assignment, he also fulfilled additional responsibilities as deputy commander in chief of the Middle East/Southern Asia and Africa South of the Sahara Command.[6]
Senior commands and retirement
General Holloway assumed command of the U.S. Air Forces in Europe in July 1965, serving in that capacity until his appointment as Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force on August 1, 1966, at The Pentagon. He became commander-in-chief of the Strategic Air Command at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, on August 1, 1968, and remained in that position until retiring from the Air Force on 30 April 1972.
Holloway died of heart failure at age 87 in Orlando, Florida on 30 September 1999. His remains were cremated and interred in his hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee.
Awards and decorations
Holloway's decorations include:[6][7]
Badges
 US Air Force Command Pilot Badge
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 Parachutist Badge
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Personal decorations
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Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster[7] |
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Army Distinguished Service Medal[7] |
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Silver Star[7] |
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Legion of Merit with bronze oak leaf cluster[7] |
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Distinguished Flying Cross with bronze oak leaf cluster[7] |
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Air Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters |
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Army Commendation Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster |
Campaign and service medals
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American Defense Service Medal |
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American Campaign Medal |
  |
Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal with two bronze campaign stars |
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World War II Victory Medal |
 |
National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star |
Service, training, and marksmanship awards
  |
Air Force Longevity Service Award with silver and two bronze oak leaf clusters |
Foreign awards
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Grand Official of the Order of Aeronautical Merit (Brazil) |
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Fifth Class of the Order of the Sacred Tripod (China) |
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Special Grand Cordon of the Order of the Cloud and Banner (China) |
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War Memorial Medal (China) |
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Commander of the Legion of Honour (France) |
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Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany with star and sash (West Germany) |
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Knight Grand Cross of the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand (Thailand) |
Foreign badges
- Republic of China Air Force pilot wings
- German Air Force pilot wings
- Honorary Royal Thai Air Force Wings
Effective dates of promotion
Source:[8]
| Insignia | Rank | Date |
|---|---|---|
 |
General | August 1, 1965 |
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Lieutenant general | October 6, 1961 |
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Major general | August 5, 1957 |
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Brigadier general | October 9, 1953 |
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Colonel | May 5, 1943 |
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Lieutenant colonel | December 6, 1942 |
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Major | March 4, 1942 |
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Captain | October 3, 1940 |
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First lieutenant | June 13, 1940 |
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Second lieutenant | June 12, 1937 |
See also
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Air Force
- ^ Snyder, Thomas; Shaw, Shelia (January 28, 1992). "Profiles In Leadership 1942-1992". Air Force Historical Research Agency. pp. 138–145. Archived from the original on 2021-11-30. Retrieved October 18, 2021. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ Marion Military Institute – archives – April 2009 – Bruce K. Holloway '33 – accessed 31 October 2010
- ^ Jackson, Kenneth T.; Markoe, Karen; Markoe, Arnie (2001). The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives: 1997–1999. Gale / Cengage Learning. p. 267. ISBN 978-0-684-80663-1.
- ^ Air Force magazine – "Valor: Flying Tiger" – Bruce Holloway – April 1993 – accessed 31 October 2010
- ^ One memorable flight over Kunming on 15 May 1943 is described in Edward H. Sims' book American Aces in Great Fighter Battles of World War II as the third chapter of that documentary.
- ^ a b "AF.mil". Archived from the original on 2010-04-13. Retrieved 2010-11-01. – General Bruce K. Holloway – official USAF biography – 1968 – accessed 31 October 2010
- ^ a b c d e f "Bruce Keener Holloway". Military Times. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
- ^ "Personal Fact Sheet, Bruce K. Holloway". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 1965. pp. 34–37. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
External links
- The New York Times – obituary – Bruce K. Holloway – 9 October 1999-10-09. Accessed 31 October 2010
- Speech delivered by Bruce K. Holloway to the Comstock Club of Sacramento, California on May 22, 1967
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