Gordon Blake
| Gordon Aylesworth Blake | |
|---|---|
Gordon Aylesworth Blake
|
|
| Born |
July 22, 1910 Charles City, Iowa |
| Died | September 1, 1997 (aged 87) |
| Allegiance |
 United States of America
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Air Force
|
| Years of service | 1931 - 1965 |
| Rank |
 Lieutenant General
|
| Battles/wars |
World War II Cold War |
| Awards |
Distinguished Service Medal (2) Silver Star Distinguished Flying Cross (2) Legion of Merit (2) Air Medal (2) |
Gordon Aylesworth Blake (July 22, 1910 – September 1, 1997) was a US Air Force lieutenant general who served from 1962-1965 as director of the National Security Agency (NSA).
Gordon, son of George and Cecelia Blake of Charles City, Iowa, was born in Charles City in 1910, and graduated from high school there in 1927. He was appointed in 1927 to the United States Military Academy by the late Gilbert N. Haugen and graduated on June 11, 1931. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Coast Artillery Corps and detailed as a student officer to pilot training.
In October 1932, Blake completed Primary and Advanced Flying Schools. He was transferred to the Air Corps on January 25, 1933, and was assigned to a pursuit squadron at Barksdale Field, Louisiana. Entering the Signal School at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, in July 1934, he completed the Communications Officers' Course the following June and was assigned as communications instructor at the Air Corps Technical School, at Chanute Field, Illinois.
Going to Hawaii in February 1939, Blake was communications officer of the 18th Composite Wing. During September 1941, he acted as Communications Officer on the first land-based aircraft flight from Hawaii to the Philippines. This flight was made in B-17 bombers sent to the Philippines as reinforcements and flew a pioneer route - Midway Island; Wake Island; Port Moresby, New Guinea; Darwin, Australia; Clark Field, Philippine Islands. All members of the flight were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
On December 7, 1941, he was base operations officer (in the rank of major) at Hickam Field and was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action that day. He became operations officer, Seventh Air Force Base Command, was promoted to lieutenant colonel, and spent the first months of World War II supervising operation of the airplane ferry route to Australia via Christmas Island - Canton Island - Fiji - New Caledonia.
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