Charles L. Donnelly Jr.



Charles Lawthers Donnelly Jr. (August 24, 1929 – July 3, 1994) was a General of the United States Air Force, who was Commander in Chief, U.S. Air Forces in Europe/Commander, Allied Air Forces Central Europe (CINCUSAFE/COMAAFCE) from 1984 to 1987. Donnelly was also a fighter pilot in the Vietnam war. He died of cancer in Malcolm Grow Medical Center at Andrews Air Force Base on July 3, 1994 at the age of 64.

Personal life and Education
Donnelly was born in Barberton, Ohio. He was the brother of Susan Hartfield of Columbus, Ohio, and Margaret Bischoff of Antioch, Illinois. He married Carolyn Vandersall Donnelly and had a daughter with her: Linda D. Wieland.

Donnelly graduated from Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio, in 1950. He then joined the Air Force as an aviation cadet. He got a master's degree in public administration from George Washington University and graduated from the Squadron Officer School, the Air Command and Staff College, the Air War College, and the Royal College of Defense Studies in London. Donnelly got 8,000 hours of flight time in 38 types of aircraft.

Military activity
In the 1950s he flew F-51's and F-86's for the 431st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at Selfridge Air Force Base in Michigan and what was then Wheelus Air Base in Libya. After getting assignments as an instructor, operations officer and aide-de-camp he was stationed at the 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron at the Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base in 1966. He flew 100 combat missions over North Vietnam and 27 over Laos. After that he was stationed at the Air Force headquarters in Washington. He was then stationed as Chief of the United States Training Mission to Saudi Arabia. Donnelly was then stationed at Yokota Air Base in Japan commanding the Fifth Air Force and United States Forces in Japan. He was in charge for United States Forces both in Japan and South Korea. After 8,000 Hours of Flight Time he was stationed in Ramstein Air Base, Germany to become the commander of America's and NATO's air power in Europe.

Honors
Donnelly received multiple awards throughout his military activity including the following:
 * Distinguished Service Medal
 * Defense Superior Service Medal
 * Legion of Merit with two oak-leaf clusters
 * Distinguished Flying Cross
 * Air Medal with 12 oak-leaf clusters.