Laurence C. Craigie

Laurence Carbee Craigie
Laurence C. Craigie
Born	(1902-01-26)January 26, 1902 Concord, New Hampshire
Died	February 27, 1994(1994-02-27) (aged 92) Riverside, California
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Air Force
Years of service	1923–1955
Rank	Lieutenant General
Commands held	Allied Air Forces Southern Europe Commandant, Air Force Institute of Technology
Battles/wars	World War II, Korean War

Laurence Carbee Craigie (January 26, 1902 – February 27, 1994), was a United States aviator and United States Air Force general. He became the first U.S. military jet pilot in 1942 when he piloted the Bell XP-59. With Orval R. Cook he is also known as one half of the Cook-Craigie plan, a method of producing aircraft.

Born in Concord, New Hampshire on January 26, 1902, he grew up in Concord, Somerville, Massachusetts, Keene, New Hampshire and graduated from Stoneham, Massachusetts High School in 1919 and the U.S. Military Academy in June 1923, being commissioned a second lieutenant in the Air Service. He took flying training at Brooks Field and Kelly Field, Texas, and was a flying instructor at both places. He was promoted to first lieutenant in December 1927.

In February 1929 he went to France Field, Panama Canal Zone, where he was an Engineering Officer with the 7th Observation Squadron. He returned to Brooks in May 1931 and went to Randolph Field, Texas the following October for varied assignments. In 1935 Craigie graduated as a captain from the Air Corps Engineering School at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Ohio, Training and Transport Engineering Unit of the Materiel Division there.

He was named assistant chief of the Engineering Section in July 1937. In June 1939 he graduated from the Army Industrial College and assigned as assistant executive of the Experimental Engineering Section at Wright-Patterson with rank of major. He then attended the Air Corps Tactical School at Maxwell Field, Alabama, graduating in March 1941. Named assistant of the Aircraft Projects Branch at Wright-Patterson he became chief of the branch in July 1941 and was promoted lieutenant colonel that November.