Frank Drew
Encyclopedia
Brigadier General Frank Morehead Drew (born October 10, 1930) was vice commander, U.S. Air Force Tactical Fighter Weapons Center, TAC, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada He retired on July 1, 1979.
, California, in 1948. After attending Western Kentucky State College for a year, he entered the United States Military Academy
, West Point, New York, and graduated in June 1953 with a bachelor of science degree and a commission in the U.S. Air Force. He completed the U.S. Army Command and Staff College in 1964 and the National War College in 1971, and received his master of science degree from The George Washington University, Washington, D.C., in 1971.
After graduation from the academy he attended pilot training and received his pilot wings at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona, in 1954. He then attended F-86 combat crew training at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, and while at Nellis was selected for assignment in January 1955 to the U.S. Air Force Academy, where he served as an air training officer for the next three years.
In December 1957 he was assigned as a flight commander in the 417th Fighter-Bomber Squadron of the 50th Fighter-Bomber Wing at Toul-Rosieres Air Base
, France, flying the F-86H and the F-100D. In January 1959 he was transferred to Incirlik Air Base
, Turkey, to organize an operations facility for command and control of Tactical Air Command fighter squadrons on rotational temporary duty from the United States.
General Drew was transferred to Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, in February 1960, where he served as an operations officer in training squadrons and in the group headquarters. In August 1963 he entered the Army Command and General Staff College
at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
After graduation in July 1964, he was assigned to the 1st Air Commando Wing, Hurlburt Field, Florida, where he held various squadron and wing positions. He also performed six months of temporary duty with a T-28 detachment in Southeast Asia. He was wing director of standardization and evaluation when, in April 1967, he was assigned to command the Tropic Moon I Task Force, a special Air Warfare Center unit equipped with A-lE's fitted with night vision devices designed for independent night interdiction operations. After more than a year of development, testing and training in the continental United States, General Drew went with the unit to Southeast Asia, where he commanded it during a year of combat operations.
General Drew returned to the United States in December 1968 and was assigned as chief of the Air Support Branch in Defense Communications Planning Group, Washington, D.C. In January 1970 he was assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force where he served in the Office of the Special Assistant for Sensor Exploitation, Office of the Vice Chief of Staff, U.S. Air Force.
In August 1970 General Drew entered the National War College, Washington, D.C. He returned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force in July 1971 to serve as assistant for general officer matters in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel. In August 1974 he was assigned as commandant, Air Command and Staff College
, at Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.
General Drew served as chief, Air Force Section, U.S. Delegation, Joint Brazil-United States Military Commission, at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from August 1975 to December 1976, when he assumed his duty at the Tactical Fighter Weapons Center.
He is a command pilot with 3,600 flying hours. His military decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit
, Distinguished Flying Cross
, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, and the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with oak leaf cluster.
He was promoted to the grade of brigadier general
August 1, 1974, with same date of rank.
Biography
General Drew was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. He graduated from Beverly Hills High SchoolBeverly Hills High School
Beverly Hills High School is the only major public high school in Beverly Hills, California. Beverly is part of the Beverly Hills Unified School District and located on on the west side of Beverly Hills, at the...
, California, in 1948. After attending Western Kentucky State College for a year, he entered the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
, West Point, New York, and graduated in June 1953 with a bachelor of science degree and a commission in the U.S. Air Force. He completed the U.S. Army Command and Staff College in 1964 and the National War College in 1971, and received his master of science degree from The George Washington University, Washington, D.C., in 1971.
After graduation from the academy he attended pilot training and received his pilot wings at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona, in 1954. He then attended F-86 combat crew training at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, and while at Nellis was selected for assignment in January 1955 to the U.S. Air Force Academy, where he served as an air training officer for the next three years.
In December 1957 he was assigned as a flight commander in the 417th Fighter-Bomber Squadron of the 50th Fighter-Bomber Wing at Toul-Rosieres Air Base
Toul-Rosieres Air Base
Toul-Rosières Air Base is a reserve French Air Force base. It is located in the Meurthe-et-Moselle département of France, 10 miles northeast of the city of Toul, on the west side of the Route nationale 411 Highway about one mile southeast of Rosières-en-Haye.Toul Air Base was used by American...
, France, flying the F-86H and the F-100D. In January 1959 he was transferred to Incirlik Air Base
Incirlik Air Base
The Incirlik Air Base is located in İncirlik, five miles east of Adana, Turkey's fifth largest city, and from the Mediterranean Sea.The U.S...
, Turkey, to organize an operations facility for command and control of Tactical Air Command fighter squadrons on rotational temporary duty from the United States.
General Drew was transferred to Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, in February 1960, where he served as an operations officer in training squadrons and in the group headquarters. In August 1963 he entered the Army Command and General Staff College
Command and General Staff College
The United States Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas is a graduate school for United States Army and sister service officers, interagency representatives, and international military officers. The college was established in 1881 by William Tecumseh Sherman as a...
at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
After graduation in July 1964, he was assigned to the 1st Air Commando Wing, Hurlburt Field, Florida, where he held various squadron and wing positions. He also performed six months of temporary duty with a T-28 detachment in Southeast Asia. He was wing director of standardization and evaluation when, in April 1967, he was assigned to command the Tropic Moon I Task Force, a special Air Warfare Center unit equipped with A-lE's fitted with night vision devices designed for independent night interdiction operations. After more than a year of development, testing and training in the continental United States, General Drew went with the unit to Southeast Asia, where he commanded it during a year of combat operations.
General Drew returned to the United States in December 1968 and was assigned as chief of the Air Support Branch in Defense Communications Planning Group, Washington, D.C. In January 1970 he was assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force where he served in the Office of the Special Assistant for Sensor Exploitation, Office of the Vice Chief of Staff, U.S. Air Force.
In August 1970 General Drew entered the National War College, Washington, D.C. He returned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force in July 1971 to serve as assistant for general officer matters in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel. In August 1974 he was assigned as commandant, Air Command and Staff College
Air Command and Staff College
The Air Command and Staff College is located at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama and is the United States Air Force's intermediate professional military education school. It prepares field grade and equivalent officers of all U.S...
, at Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.
General Drew served as chief, Air Force Section, U.S. Delegation, Joint Brazil-United States Military Commission, at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from August 1975 to December 1976, when he assumed his duty at the Tactical Fighter Weapons Center.
He is a command pilot with 3,600 flying hours. His military decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
, Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a medal awarded to any officer or enlisted member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes himself or herself in support of operations by "heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight, subsequent to November 11, 1918." The...
, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, and the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with oak leaf cluster.
He was promoted to the grade of brigadier general
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
August 1, 1974, with same date of rank.