William P. Acker

William P. Acker is a former Major General in the United States Air Force.

Biography
Acker was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee in 1930. He graduated from high school in Greenville, South Carolina before graduating from the University of Georgia in 1952, Arizona State University in 1959 and Harvard University in 1973.

Career
Acker began his flight training at Bartow Air Force Base in 1952. He was then assigned to the 310th Fighter-Bomber Squadron as a Republic F-84 Thunderjet pilot. From 1957 to 1960, he was stationed at Luke Air Force Base as a North American F-100 Super Sabre flight commander and instructor. Afterwards, Acker was assigned to the 44th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Kadena Air Base.

In 1963, Acker transferred to MacDill Air Force Base and began training as a McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II pilot. The following year, he became a squadron operations officer at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.

Acker graduated from the Armed Forces Staff College in 1967 and was deployed to serve in the Vietnam War as Flight Commander and Operations Officer of the 497th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base. The following year, he was assigned to the headquarters of the United States Air Forces in Europe. Later, Acker transferred to the 401st Tactical Fighter Wing at Torrejón Air Base.

In 1971, he graduated from the Air War College and was placed in charge of officer management in personnel resources at Randolph Air Force Base. Two years later, he was named Vice Commander of the 49th Tactical Fighter Wing at Holloman Air Force Base. In 1974, Acker was re-deployed to serve in the Vietnam War, assuming command of the 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base. Acker then returned to Randolph Air Force Base as Vice Commander of the Air Force Military Personnel Center.

From 1976 to 1978, Acker was Deputy Commanding General of the U.S. Military Enlistment Processing Command in Fort Sheridan, Illinois. He then returned to Randolph Air Force Base until 1979, when he assumed command of the Air Force Military Training Center at Lackland Air Force Base. In 1981, Acker once again returned to Randolph Air Force Base as Vice Commander of Air Training Command. Acker assumed command of the Third Air Force in 1983 before retiring in 1985.

Awards he received during his career include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal with ten oak leaf clusters and the Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster.