Our walk and flight today was dedicated in honor of :
Air Force Veteran George A. Edwards Jr. Age 92 of Crossville, TN.
Died Sep. 26, 2021
George Allen Edwards Jr. was born March 8, 1929, in Nashville and raised in Crossville, TN. He graduated from Cumberland High School in 1947 and graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1951. He has been an avid VOL his entire life since attending UT football games with his grandfather, Dr. Venable Lane Lewis. He joined the Air Force as an aviation cadet immediately after graduating.
He met Jho Eleanor on a blind date at Shaw Air Force base in Sumter, SC, and shortly thereafter, served in the Korean War. They remained in touch during this time and were married Aug. 30, 1953. Their beautiful love story has unfolded through all the years since and their amazing, loving bond will continue for eternity!
My father’s main passion was flying. He was a brilliant Air Force fighter pilot and reconnaissance pilot who served in the Korean and Vietnam wars. He patriotically served for 33 years, 1951-1984.
His love of flying began in his very early years in Crossville. He saved money for a few years from delivering newspapers on his bicycle and later in a 1929 Ford Model A Roadster with Rumble Seat. Interesting side note: Dad’s grandfather, Dr. Lewis, who had tended to patients injured by glass windows in car accidents, changed the windows out to shatter-proof windows. At age 15, he began taking flying lessons with money he had saved delivering newspapers. He soloed in a Piper Cub aircraft at age 16! He was co-owner with his grandfather at age 16 of an Aeronca Champion plane (65 HP engine). He also was able to fly his grandfather, a medical doctor, to see the aerial view of Crossville countryside where he made house calls for years. After high school, he also participated in acrobatic air shows! He had a passion for adventure!
He received a bachelor’s degree in military science from the University of Maryland in 1961 and a master’s degree in international relations from San Francisco State College in 1965, all with highest honors. The General graduated from Squadron Officer School at Maxwell Air Force Base, AL, in 1955 and the U.S. Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, PA, in 1970.
General Edwards entered military duty with the Air Force as an aviation cadet in March 1951 during the Korean War. He graduated from flying school in June 1952 at Vance Air Force Base, OK, with a commission as a second lieutenant and his pilot wings.
In January 1953, General Edwards was assigned to the 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Kimpo Air Base, South Korea, where he flew 101 missions in RF-80s.
From December 1953 to December 1956, he served as a jet flying instructor with the Air Training Command at Bryan Air Force Base, TX. During this time, General and Mrs. Edwards had two children, George Allen III and Paula Jho. He graduated from Squadron Officer School at Maxwell AFB, AL, in 1955. Following assignments as an F-100 pilot at Nellis AFB, NV, and with the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing at Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, SC, he transferred to Shaw Air Force Base, SC, as Chief of Safety and Chief of Standardization and Evaluation for the 432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing.
In July 1959 General Edwards was selected to assist in the re-establishment of the West German Air Force and for the next three years served as Senior Adviser for the newly formed Luftwaffe Wings at Erding, Ingolstadt and Eggebeck, Germany. In recognition of his services, the Chief of Staff of the German Air Force awarded him Luftwaffe Wings. General Edwards was one of the first Americans to receive that distinction.
General Edwards returned to Shaw Air Force Base in July 1962 and served as Assistant Director of Operations with the 4411th Combat Crew Training Group. The following year he transferred to the newly activated Tactical Air Reconnaissance Center at Shaw AFB, with duties involving all aspects of operations, training, concepts and doctrine. While there, he co-authored the training manual for the F/RF-4 aircraft.
From July 1964 to June 1965, General Edwards was a graduate student at San Francisco State College under the Air Force Institute of Technology program and graduated with highest distinction. In July 1965 he joined the Directorate of Concepts and Doctrine in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Plans, Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley Air Force Base, VA.
In 1967, after combat training at Mountain Home AFB, ID, General Edwards was assigned to the Republic of Vietnam as Commander of the 16th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron at Tan Son Nhut Air Base, flying RF-4Cs. After completing his combat tour in the RF-4C, he served a consecutive combat tour as Commander of Detachment One, 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, flying RB-57s. He flew 213 combat missions. In 1968 he transferred to Headquarters U.S. European Command as Operations Officer with the Joint Reconnaissance Center at Vaihingen, Germany.
General Edwards attended the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, PA, August 1969, and was a distinguished graduate in June 1970. He then was assigned to Bergstrom Air Force Base, Austin, TX, as Director of Operations for the 75th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing. In July 1972 he assumed command of the 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing also at Bergstrom. As Wing Commander, General Edwards commanded a large unit including four flying squadrons with worldwide responsibilities and was also charged with looking after and providing all military and flying support for President Lyndon Johnson and the LBJ ranch.
In April 1974, General Edwards returned to Headquarters Langley AFB, Tactical Air Command and served in succession as Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Inspector General, Chief of Staff, and Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans.
On Aug. 1, 1976, he was promoted to Major General. He returned to Bergstrom in October 1977 as Vice Commander of 12th Air Force. In July 1978, he was assigned as Commander of the 314th Air Division (7th Air Force), Osan Air Base, South Korea. The General was also Commander of the Korean Air Defense Sector, Deputy Commander of Air Forces Korea, and Director of Readiness and Combat Operations for the Air Component Command/Combined Forces Command, directing all air activities in Korea. During a Korean national emergency, General Edwards commanded the first operational deployment of the USAF Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS). In 1979, he was awarded Korean Air Force Wings and in 1980, he was awarded the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation and the Order of National Security Merit with Cluster, the highest medal the Republic of Korea awards.
Upon returning to the United States, General Edwards was assigned as Director of Plans and Policy, J5, and Inspector General, US Readiness Command, MacDill AFB, Tampa Florida. He was responsible for planning for the deployment of US air and ground forces to Latin America and the Middle East. He also assisted in the establishment of the US Central Command (CENTCOM).
Major General George A. Edwards Jr. retired in 1984. He is a command pilot with more than 5,000 flying hours in jet fighter and reconnaissance aircraft plus more than 2,000 hours in civilian aircraft accumulated primarily prior to his entry into the Air Force. In 1959 he established the official world speed record for the 500-kilometer closed course in the RF-101 at Edwards Air Force Base, CA.
His military decorations and awards include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, two Legions of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross with three oak leaf clusters, Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal with 19 oak leaf clusters, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Presidential Unit Citation emblem, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award ribbon with four oak leaf clusters, Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation and Republic of Korea Order of National Security Merit with cluster.
After retirement from the Air Force, General Edwards pursued a business career while residing in Lakeway/Austin, TX. He served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Pilot Research Associates; Consultant to Lockheed Missiles and Space Company; Associate of Burdeshaw Associates; VP of Pen-Mar Oil Co.; VP and Secretary-Treasurer of Scientific Measurement Systems. He was also active in real estate and home construction businesses.
Dad says that of all his accomplishments, he is most proud of his loyal, supportive, and superbly capable wife, my mother, JoJo, who was with him every step of the way! He also said how proud he was of all his children and grandchildren every time we talked to him. He was always so caring, loving and giving! We are all truly blessed to have such a wonderful father and grandfather!
We had a great walk and flight today. We walked to the Crossville Airport and met with our pilot Mike and shortly we were off the ground and in the air. We headed south west away from the airport a little ways and then headed towards Tansi and then towards the mountains south east of Crossville. At one point we was at an altitude of about 4,000 feet. We flew over by Rockwood and then back towards Crossville. It was an amazing view. I can’t put into words how I felt being able to take the flag and the photo of this hero who had spend many hours up in the sky right here in Cumberland County and then again during the Korean War and Vietnam War. The things he must have seen from up in the air. I will never forget. I want to thank my friend Robert for walking and flying with us today and also I want to thank our Pilot Mike for helping us honor this hero today. I also want to thank all who honked, waved, and saluted helping us honor this hero today.
Air Force Veteran George A. Edwards Jr will not be forgotten !
