John C. Meyer

John C. Meyer
General John C. Meyer
Born	April 3, 1919 Brooklyn, New York
Died	December 2, 1975(1975-12-02) (aged 56) Los Angeles, California
Buried at	Arlington National Cemetery
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Air Force
Years of service	1939–1974
Rank	General
Commands held	Strategic Air Command 12th Air Force
Battles/wars	World War II Korean War Vietnam War
Awards	Distinguished Service Cross (3) Air Force Distinguished Service Medal (2) Silver Star (2) Legion of Merit Distinguished Flying Cross (7) Air Medal (15)

General John Charles Meyer (April 3, 1919 – December 2, 1975) was an American World War II flying ace, and later the commander-in-chief of the Strategic Air Command (SAC) and director of the Joint Strategic Target Planning Staff at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. SAC was the United States' major nuclear deterrent force with bombers, tankers and reconnaissance aircraft, and intercontinental ballistic missiles. The Joint Strategic Target Planning Staff coordinated the nation's nuclear war plans and developed the Single Integrated Operations Plan.

General Meyer, born in Brooklyn, New York, attended schools in New York and left Dartmouth to become an Aviation Cadet in 1939. After the war he graduated from Dartmouth College with a bachelor of arts degree in political geography. He enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps in November 1939 in order to become a pilot. In July 1940 he was commissioned a second lieutenant and awarded pilot wings. Second Lieutenant Meyer was assigned to flight instructor duty at Randolph Field, Texas and Gunter Field, Alabama. He was then transferred to the 33rd Pursuit Squadron of the 8th Pursuit Group at Mitchel Field, New York to fly the Curtiss P-40. During the tense days before the United States entered World War II, the Group was sent to Iceland, flying convoy patrol missions. In September 1942 he was assigned to the newly formed 352nd Fighter Group at Westover, Massachusetts where he, as a 1st Lieutenant, assumed command of the 34th Pursuit Squadron that had recently returned from the Philippines in name only and was in need of new equipment and personnel. By the end of December, Meyer had received most of the ground personnel and had twenty six pilots assigned, but had no aircraft. In January, the unit moved to New Haven, Connecticut and began picking up the first Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighters that it would take to combat. The 34th was redesignated as the 487th Fighter Squadron in May 1943 prior to receiving orders to deploy to England.