John W. Vogt Jr.
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General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...
John William Vogt Jr. (March 18, 1920 – April 16, 2010) was a
flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...
of the
United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
in
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
who later achieved general rank in the
United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
during the
Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...
period. He was commander
Allied Air Forces Central Europe Allied Air Forces Central Europe (AAFCE) was the NATO command tasked with air and air defense operations in NATOs Allied Forces Central Europe (AFCENT) area of command. History Allied Air Forces Central Europe was activated on 2 April 1951 at Fon ...
and commander in chief
United States Air Forces in Europe United may refer to: Places * United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Arts and entertainment Films * ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film * ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two fi ...
at
Ramstein Air Base Ramstein Air Base or Ramstein AB is a United States Air Force base in Rhineland-Palatinate, a state in southwestern Germany. It serves as headquarters for the United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA) and also ...
, Germany in the 1970s.


Biography

Vogt was born on March 18, 1920, in
Elizabeth, New Jersey Elizabeth is a city and the county seat of Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.New J ...
, where he graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1938."New Air Chief in Vietnam John William Vogt Jr."
''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'', April 18, 1972. Accessed September 11, 2020. "Gen. John William Vogt Jr., who is directing the intensified bombardment of North Vietnamese forces in South and North Vietnam, is holding down his first command since he led a fighter squadron over the beaches of Normandy in World War II.... General Vogt was born on March 18, 1920, in Elizabeth, N. J., and graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School there in 1938." He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from
Yale University Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wo ...
and his Master of Arts from
Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
. He was also a fellow of the
Harvard School for International Affairs Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher l ...
. In 1941 he entered the Army Air Corps as an aviation cadet and attended flying schools at
Randolph Field Randolph Air Force Base was an United States Air Force base located at Universal City, Texas ( east-northeast of Downtown San Antonio). Opened in 1931, Randolph has been a flying training facility for the United States Army Air Corps, the Un ...
and
Ellington Field Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base is a joint installation shared by various active component and reserve component military units, as well as aircraft flight operations of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) under the aegis ...
, Texas. He received his pilot wings and commission as second lieutenant in April 1942. From April to December 1942, he served as a fighter pilot with the
63d Fighter Squadron The 63d Fighter Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit, assigned to the 56th Operations Group, at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. It operates the F-35A aircraft, and conducts advanced fighter training since its reactivation in 2016. ...
, 56th Fighter Group. In January 1943 he accompanied his squadron to England and completed a combat tour of duty as a flight commander. In May 1944 he became commander of the 360th Fighter Squadron, 356th Fighter Group, and completed a second combat tour. He participated in the Air Offensive, Europe, and Rhineland campaigns and the Normandy Invasion. He destroyed eight enemy aircraft in aerial combat. From November 1945 to July 1946, he served as commander of the First Air Base Squadron and Ibura Army Base at
Recife, Brazil That it may shine on all (Matthew 5:15) , image_map = Brazil Pernambuco Recife location map.svg , mapsize = 250px , map_caption = Location in the state of Pernambuco , pushpin_map = Brazil#South Am ...
, where he remained until he returned to the United States. After various staff assignments, he was assigned, in 1951, to the Office of the Special Assistant to the Joint Chiefs of Staff for National Security Council Affairs, where he worked with the senior staff, and later, the planning board of the National Security Council. In August 1955 he became assistant deputy for plans and operations, Headquarters
Far East Air Forces Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) is a Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force and is also the air component command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). PACAF is headquartered at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam (fo ...
, Japan. The following year, he was transferred to
Hickam Air Force Base Hickam Air Force Base is a United States Air Force installation, named in honor of aviation pioneer Lieutenant Colonel Horace Meek Hickam. The installation merged in 2010 with Naval Station Pearl Harbor to become part of the newly formed Joint ...
, Hawaii, as the special assistant to the chief of staff, commander in chief, Pacific. In 1960 Vogt was assigned to the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, as deputy assistant director of plans where he functioned as the Air Force planner in the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Later, he became the assistant director of plans for joint matters, with responsibility for the preparation of Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force positions for consideration of the chief of staff. In February 1963 he became the director of the policy planning staff, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense, International Security Affairs. In this assignment, he was head of the staff of defense department planners, both civilian and military, who participated in the drafting of political/military plans. In August 1965 he began a three-year tour of duty as deputy for plans and operations,
Pacific Air Forces Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) is a Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force and is also the air component command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). PACAF is headquartered at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam (fo ...
, in which capacity he participated in the planning and direction of the air campaign against North Vietnam. He left Hawaii in June 1968 to become assistant deputy chief of staff for plans and operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force. In August 1969 he joined the Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as director for operations (J-3). On July 20, 1970, he became
director of the Joint Staff The director of the Joint Staff (DJS) is a three-star officer who assists the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a cabinet of senior military officers within the United States Armed Forces who advise the secretary of defense and the president on military ...
, a position he held until April 7, 1972, when he was promoted to general. He assumed duty as commander,
Seventh Air Force The Seventh Air Force (Air Forces Korea) (7 AF) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It is headquartered at Osan Air Base, South Korea. The command's mission is to plan and direct air component operations in ...
(PACAF), and deputy commander,
U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV) was a joint-service command of the United States Department of Defense. MACV was created on 8 February 1962, in response to the increase in United States military assistance to South Vietnam. MACV ...
, on April 10, 1972, replacing General
John D. Lavelle John Daniel Lavelle (September 9, 1916 – July 10, 1979) was a United States Air Force general and commander of Seventh Air Force, with headquarters at Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Republic of Vietnam. Lavelle was removed from his position in 1972 and ...
who had been forced to resign. Vogt was responsible for air operations in Southeast Asia for the last eighteen months of United States combat activity. With the cease-fire in Vietnam he became the commander of the
U.S. Support Activities Group The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
in Thailand which conducted all U.S. air activities in Laos and Cambodia until U.S. combat involvement ceased in August 1973. He became commander in chief of Pacific Air Forces on October 1, 1973, and assumed command of
Allied Air Forces Central Europe Allied Air Forces Central Europe (AAFCE) was the NATO command tasked with air and air defense operations in NATOs Allied Forces Central Europe (AFCENT) area of command. History Allied Air Forces Central Europe was activated on 2 April 1951 at Fon ...
and
United States Air Forces in Europe United may refer to: Places * United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Arts and entertainment Films * ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film * ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two fi ...
in June 1974. He is the only officer to have been commander in chief of both the U.S. Pacific and European Air Forces. He retired from the Air Force on August 31, 1975. He died April 16, 2010. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.


Awards and decorations

His military decorations and awards include: Vogt was the 1973 recipient of the General H.H. Arnold Award of the
Arnold Air Society The Arnold Air Society (AAS) is a professional, honorary, service organization. AAS is open to officer candidates in Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) and at the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA), and is formally affiliated ...
in recognition of outstanding contributions to military aviation and aerospace progress.


References


See also

*
List of commanders of USAFE The Commander, United States Air Forces Europe (COMUSAFE) is the most senior officer and head of the United States Air Forces in Europe. List of USAFE commanders References {{Air Force Historical Research Agency See also * List of U ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vogt, John W. Jr. 1920 births 2010 deaths United States Army Air Forces pilots of World War II United States Air Force personnel of the Vietnam War American people of Dutch descent American World War II flying aces Aviators from New Jersey Burials at Arlington National Cemetery Columbia University alumni Harvard Fellows Military personnel from New Jersey People from Elizabeth, New Jersey Recipients of the Legion of Merit Recipients of the Silver Star Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States) Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) Recipients of the Air Medal Recipients of the Croix de Guerre (France) 3 Vogt, John W. Thomas Jefferson High School (New Jersey) alumni United States Air Force generals Recipients of the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal United States Army Air Forces officers