Hewitt T. Wheless
General Hewitt T. Wheless | |
|---|---|
Lieutenant General Hewitt T. Wheless | |
| Nickname(s) | Shorty |
| Born | October 13, 1913 Menard County, Texas |
| Died | September 7, 1986 (aged 72) Tucson, Arizona |
| Buried | |
| Branch | United States Army Air Forces United States Air Force |
| Years of service | 1935–1968 |
| Rank | Lieutenant general |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Cross Distinguished Flying Cross Air Force Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit Air Medal |
Hewitt Terrell Wheless (October 13, 1913 – September 7, 1986) was a United States Air Force officer known for his heroism on a bombing mission against Japanese ships in the Philippines on December 14, 1941, a week after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and mentioned by name in Franklin Roosevelt's Fireside Chat on April 28, 1942. In 1947, he was assigned to the Strategic Air Command and was named SAC chief of staff in 1962. He was assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force in 1963 and retired in June 1968 as Assistant Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force.