Earle Everard "Pat" Partridge (July 7, 1900 – September 7, 1990) was a four-star

general A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED ...

in the

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, 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 ...

and a

Command Pilot U.S. Air Force aeronautical ratings are military aviation skill standards established and awarded by the United States Air Force for commissioned officers participating in "regular and frequent flight",The standard by which flight status has bee ...

Biography

Earl Partridge graduated Ashby High School,

Ashby, Massachusetts Ashby is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,193 at the 2020 census, which makes it the least populous municipality in Middlesex County. The Town of Ashby is primarily a bedroom community consisting almo ...

in 1917. Partridge enlisted in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...

in July 1918 at Fort Slocum, New York, and was assigned to the 5th Engineer Training Regiment. He went to France in August 1918 to join the 79th Division, participating in the

Battle of Saint-Mihiel The Battle of Saint-Mihiel was a major World War I battle fought from 12–15 September 1918, involving the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) and 110,000 French troops under the command of General John J. Pershing of the United States against ...

and Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Earle Everard Partridge (1900–1990) at West Point in 1924

Partridge graduated from the

United States Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a fort, since it sits on strategic high groun ...

at West Point in the class of 1924. He received flight training at Brooks Field and Kelly Field, and was a stunt pilot in the 1927 silent film ''

Wings A wing is a type of fin that produces lift while moving through air or some other fluid. Accordingly, wings have streamlined cross-sections that are subject to aerodynamic forces and act as airfoils. A wing's aerodynamic efficiency is expre ...

''. He taught mathematics at West Point, then went to the Panama Canal Zone with the 6th Composite Group. He was adjutant and assistant operations officer of the

1st Pursuit Group First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...

at Selfridge Field, and commanding officer of the 94th Pursuit Squadron. In 1943, Partridge became chief of staff of the Fifteenth Air Force, and was named deputy commander of the Eighth Air Force in 1944. That June, he became commander of the 3rd Bomb Division, and assisted in its reorganization and movement to Okinawa. Partridge returned to Headquarters Army Air Forces in January 1946 as assistant chief of staff for operations. He went to Japan in October 1948 as commanding general of the Fifth Air Force, serving through the first year of the Korean War. On his return to the United States in June 1951, he commanded the newly formed Air Research and Development Command at Baltimore, Maryland. In April 1954, he became commander of the Far East Air Force (United States), Far East Air Forces at Tokyo. He then became acting Commander of the Air Defense Command from July 20, 1955 to September 17, 1956; he was later named commander in chief of the North American Air Defense Command and the Air Defense Command, at Ent Air Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colorado, Colorado Springs. He gave an introduction to the 1957 Korean War film ''Battle Hymn (film), Battle Hymn'' starring Rock Hudson. He retired from active duty on July 31, 1959. He died in Jupiter, Florida on September 7, 1990. Partridge's awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Cross (United States), Distinguished Service Cross, Distinguished Service Medal (U.S. Army), Distinguished Service Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross (United States), Distinguished Flying Cross, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Bronze Star, four Air Medals, World War I Victory Medal (United States), World War I Victory Medal, American Defense Service Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Korean Service Medal, United Nations Korea Medal, Belgian Croix de Guerre with Palm; Companion, British Order of the Bath; Croix de guerre 1939–1945 (France), French Croix de Guerre with two Palms; Knight, French Legion of Honor; Commander's Cross with Star, Polish Order of Polonia Restituta, and the Korean Order of Military Merit.

References

External links

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General Earle Everard Partridge Honoree Record
{{DEFAULTSORT:Partridge, Earle 1900 births 1990 deaths People from Winchendon, Massachusetts Military personnel from Massachusetts United States Air Force generals United States Military Academy alumni United States Army personnel of World War I United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II United States Air Force personnel of the Korean War Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States) Recipients of the Legion of Merit Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States) Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) Recipients of the Order of Polonia Restituta Recipients of the Legion of Honour Honorary Companions of the Order of the Bath Recipients of the Croix de guerre (Belgium) Recipients of the Croix de Guerre (France) Recipients of the Air Medal Recipients of the Order of Military Merit (Korea) Air Corps Tactical School alumni Military personnel from Pennsylvania