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Emmett O'Donnell Jr.
General Emmett E. "Rosie" O'Donnell Jr. (September 15, 1906 – December 26, 1971) was a United States Air Force four-star general who served as Commander in Chief, Pacific Air Forces (CINCPACAF) from 1959 to 1963. He also led the first B-29 Superfortress attack against Tokyo during World War II.
O'Donnell was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1906. He graduated from Manual Training High School in 1924 where he was a member of Omega Gamma Delta fraternity and from the United States Military Academy four years later. not Excelling in football, he played substitute halfback for All-Americans Harry Wilson and Chris "Red" Cagle at West Point.
Appointed a second lieutenant of Infantry, he received flying training at Brooks Field and Kelly Field, Texas, earning his wings by March 1930. His initial flying assignment in the Air Corps was a six and one half year tour with the 1st Pursuit Group at Selfridge Field, Michigan. During this time O'Donnell also served as an airmail pilot with the Army Air Corps mail operations at Cleveland, Ohio, in the spring of 1934.
O'Donnell became a captain April 20, 1935. In December, 1936, Captain O'Donnell was assigned to the 18th Reconnaissance Group at Mitchel Field, New York, until 1940. While with this organization, he attended the Air Corps Tactical School at Maxwell Field, Alabama, graduating in August 1939. He was also assistant football coach at West Point from 1934 to 1938. Transferred to Hawaii in February 1940, he was assigned as a squadron commander of the 11th Bombardment Group.
O'Donnell became a major in January 1941. As Japanese designs in Southeast Asia became apparent in the fall of 1941, the Army Air Forces sent air reinforcements to General Douglas MacArthur. Major O'Donnell and his 14th Bombardment Squadron set out from Hickam Field to the Philippines via Midway, Wake, New Guinea and Australia September 5. A week later all nine of the B-17s landed at Clark Field, Manila. This was the first mass flight of land planes to cross the western Pacific from Hawaii to the Philippines.
After Pearl Harbor, O'Donnell's group fought in the air and later with the Infantry until they were forced to withdraw to Bataan and then to Mindanao. Major O'Donnell and some of his group later moved to Java. Before the war in the Pacific was two days old, O'Donnell had earned the Distinguished Flying Cross. He left Clark Field during an enemy attack and flew to Vigan where he attacked a heavy cruiser and its destroyer escort. Due to faulty bomb releases he made five runs over the target, evading anti-aircraft fire and enemy fighters.
From January 1942, when he arrived in Java, until the beginning of March, when the Japanese conquered the island, he served as operations officer of the Far East Air Force. He then evacuated to India, where he became assistant chief of staff for operations of the newly organized Tenth Air Force. O'Donnell became a lieutenant colonel in January 1942 and a colonel the following March.
He returned home in 1943 as chief of General Arnold's Advisory Council, a post he retained until he was appointed commanding general of the 73d Bomb Wing at Smoky Hill Army Airfield in Salina, Kansas a year later. O'Donnell became a brigadier general in February 1944. He trained the B-29 Superfortress Wing for six months at Smoky Hill and then led it to Saipan. The B-29s began the campaign against the Japanese homeland on November 24, 1944, when O'Donnell led 111 B-29s against industrial targets in Tokyo. Only 88 of the planes were able to bomb, and results were poor, partly because of bad weather. This was the first attack on Tokyo since the Doolittle Raid in April 1942.
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Emmett O'Donnell Jr.
General Emmett E. "Rosie" O'Donnell Jr. (September 15, 1906 – December 26, 1971) was a United States Air Force four-star general who served as Commander in Chief, Pacific Air Forces (CINCPACAF) from 1959 to 1963. He also led the first B-29 Superfortress attack against Tokyo during World War II.
O'Donnell was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1906. He graduated from Manual Training High School in 1924 where he was a member of Omega Gamma Delta fraternity and from the United States Military Academy four years later. not Excelling in football, he played substitute halfback for All-Americans Harry Wilson and Chris "Red" Cagle at West Point.
Appointed a second lieutenant of Infantry, he received flying training at Brooks Field and Kelly Field, Texas, earning his wings by March 1930. His initial flying assignment in the Air Corps was a six and one half year tour with the 1st Pursuit Group at Selfridge Field, Michigan. During this time O'Donnell also served as an airmail pilot with the Army Air Corps mail operations at Cleveland, Ohio, in the spring of 1934.
O'Donnell became a captain April 20, 1935. In December, 1936, Captain O'Donnell was assigned to the 18th Reconnaissance Group at Mitchel Field, New York, until 1940. While with this organization, he attended the Air Corps Tactical School at Maxwell Field, Alabama, graduating in August 1939. He was also assistant football coach at West Point from 1934 to 1938. Transferred to Hawaii in February 1940, he was assigned as a squadron commander of the 11th Bombardment Group.
O'Donnell became a major in January 1941. As Japanese designs in Southeast Asia became apparent in the fall of 1941, the Army Air Forces sent air reinforcements to General Douglas MacArthur. Major O'Donnell and his 14th Bombardment Squadron set out from Hickam Field to the Philippines via Midway, Wake, New Guinea and Australia September 5. A week later all nine of the B-17s landed at Clark Field, Manila. This was the first mass flight of land planes to cross the western Pacific from Hawaii to the Philippines.
After Pearl Harbor, O'Donnell's group fought in the air and later with the Infantry until they were forced to withdraw to Bataan and then to Mindanao. Major O'Donnell and some of his group later moved to Java. Before the war in the Pacific was two days old, O'Donnell had earned the Distinguished Flying Cross. He left Clark Field during an enemy attack and flew to Vigan where he attacked a heavy cruiser and its destroyer escort. Due to faulty bomb releases he made five runs over the target, evading anti-aircraft fire and enemy fighters.
From January 1942, when he arrived in Java, until the beginning of March, when the Japanese conquered the island, he served as operations officer of the Far East Air Force. He then evacuated to India, where he became assistant chief of staff for operations of the newly organized Tenth Air Force. O'Donnell became a lieutenant colonel in January 1942 and a colonel the following March.
He returned home in 1943 as chief of General Arnold's Advisory Council, a post he retained until he was appointed commanding general of the 73d Bomb Wing at Smoky Hill Army Airfield in Salina, Kansas a year later. O'Donnell became a brigadier general in February 1944. He trained the B-29 Superfortress Wing for six months at Smoky Hill and then led it to Saipan. The B-29s began the campaign against the Japanese homeland on November 24, 1944, when O'Donnell led 111 B-29s against industrial targets in Tokyo. Only 88 of the planes were able to bomb, and results were poor, partly because of bad weather. This was the first attack on Tokyo since the Doolittle Raid in April 1942.