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BG (Ret) Eugene L. Strickland
Brigadier General Eugene L. Strickland, United States Air Force, began his military service as a cadet at North Texas Agricultural College from 1935 to 1937 and retired as a general officer in 1969.
General Strickland was born in Richland Springs, Texas, May 18, 1917. He graduated from North Texas Agricultural College, Arlington, Texas, in 1937, with an Associates Degree in science. In February 1939 he received his commission and pilots wings upon completion of Army Air Corps pilot training at Kelly Field, Texas.
In 1943 he was transferred to the 14th Air Force’s Chinese-American Composite Wing, where he served as Squadron Commander, Wing Director of Operations, and Group Commander until August 1945. During that period he logged 265 combat flying hours in 76 missions in P-40 Warhawks and P-51 Mustangs, destroying six Japanese aircraft. He was awarded the Legion of Merit Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Air Medal and the Purple Heart Medal and while in China, General Strickland received the Chinese Air Force Pilots Wings and two Chinese citations. General Strickland was also awarded the French Government’s Honorary Aviation Badge, Air Force Commendation Medal, and a second oak leaf cluster to the Legion of Merit Medal.
In June 1952, General Strickland graduated from the Air War College and was assigned to Headquarters 20th Air Force, on Okinawa, as Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations. He returned to the United States in June 1954 and attended the F-86D Sabrejet Combat Crew Training School at Perrin Air Force Base, Texas from which he was assigned as Commander of F-86d Fighter Wing at McGuire Air Force Base. In July, 1956 he attended the National War College in Washington, D.C. His next assignment was as Chief, Combined Plans Branch, War Plans Division. In 1958 he was assigned to the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff where he served as Assistant Director, Joint Strategic Plans Group and as Chief of the North American Division, J-3. In 1960, he became Commander of an F-100 Voodoo Fighter Wing in England, returning to the office of the Secretary of Defense in 1963. After several more assignments of increasing responsibility, General Strickland became Vice Commander of the 4th Air Force headquartered at Hamilton Air Force Base, California. General Strickland is a command pilot with more than 4,500 flying hours. Since 1939 he has flown more than 45 different types of aircraft, including a number of jet fighters, the latest being the F-101 Voodoo.
General Strickland was also selected to be listed in “Who’s Who in America” and “Who’s Who in the World.”
Brigadier General Eugene L. Strickland was inducted in the Hall of Honor, Military Science Department at The University of Texas at Arlington in February of 1994, in recognition of his achievements and contributions to the country. His beginning as an ROTC cadet and his rise to heights of responsibility and prestige provide an example and incentive for all future officer graduates from the campus at Arlington.