Merrill A. McPeak | |
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McPeak in 1990
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Nickname(s) | "Tony" |
Born |
Santa Rosa, California, U.S. |
January 9, 1936
Allegiance | United States of America |
Service/branch | United States Air Force |
Years of service | 1957–1994 |
Rank | General |
Commands held |
Acting Secretary of the Air Force Chief of Staff of the Air Force 12th Air Force Pacific Air Forces 20th Tactical Fighter Wing |
Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
Awards |
Silver Star Legion of Merit (2) Distinguished Flying Cross (2) Air Medal (13 olc) |
Other work | Chairman of Tektronix Chairman of EthicsPoint |
Merrill Anthony "Tony" McPeak (born January 9, 1936) is a retired 4 star General in the United States Air Force whose final assignment before retirement was as the 14th Chief of Staff of the Air Force from 1990 to 1994.
For a while in 1993, McPeak served as Acting Secretary of the Air Force, before Sheila E. Widnall was appointed by President Bill Clinton to that office, and is to this date the only Chief of Staff of the Air Force and uniformed Air Force Officer on active duty to have ever served as the Acting Secretary.
McPeak was born in Santa Rosa, California. After graduating from Grants Pass High School in Grants Pass, Oregon, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from San Diego State College in 1957 and became a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. He was commissioned through Air Force ROTC, and entered active duty in November of that year. He later earned a Master of Arts degree in international relations from George Washington University in 1974.
After completing preflight and pilot training, McPeak flew fighter F-100 Super Sabre and F-104 Starfighter aircraft in operational squadrons in the United States and in the United Kingdom. Later he returned to the U.S. as an instructor pilot and weapons officer at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona.