Alvan Cullem Gillem II

Alvan C. Gillem II
Lieutenant General Alvan C. Gillem II (1970-1973)
Born	(1917-04-20)April 20, 1917 Nogales, Arizona, United States
Died	September 3, 2009(2009-09-03) (aged 92)
Place of burial	Arlington National Cemetery
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Air Force United States Army Air Forces United States Army Air Corps
Years of service	1940-1973
Rank	Lieutenant-General
Unit	Strategic Air Command
Commands held	108th Fighter-Bomber Wing Air University
Battles/wars	World War II Cold War Vietnam War
Awards	USAF Command Pilot's Wings Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit Distinguished Flying Cross Air Medal

Alvan Cullem Gillem II (April 20, 1917 – September 3, 2009) was a US Air Force officer who reached the rank of lieutenant-general. He was the first son of General Alvan C. Gillem Jr. (1888–1973) and Virginia (Harrison) Gillem (December 18, 1895 – October 25, 1964). He had two siblings, Richard D. Gillem (who became a lieutenant-colonel in the US Army) and Mary.

Early career

Gillem enlisted in the Army at Fort Monroe, Va., in 1935. He received a congressional appointment to the U.S. Military Academy for the fall of 1936, from which he graduated with the rank of Second Lieutenant in the spring of 1940.

World War II

Gillem immediately entered pilot training in the fall of 1940 and graduated in March, 1941 as a first lieutenant. He then served in Texas as a pilot-instructor from March 1941 to March 1943; he was promoted to major in 1943. In April 1943 he went overseas as a staff officer at headquarters of the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces in North Africa. Later he was transferred to the 31st Fighter Group in Italy. there he learned to fly Spitfires and P-51 Mustang and was credited with shooting down three enemy planes in air-to-air combat. He was promoted to lieutenant-colonel in May, 1944. In June 1944 he returned to the United States to serve in the Plans Division of the Headquarters, Army Air Forces in Washington, D.C.

Postwar

In March 1946 Lieutenant-Colonel Gillem was a member of the original cadre that set up the Strategic Air Command's headquarters at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland. Gillem graduated from Air Command and Staff School in 1948. He was then seconded to the CIA from 1948 to 1950.

Korean War Era service

In July 1950 he was promoted to colonel. He was then assigned to Turner Air Force Base, Georgia, as deputy commander of the 31st Fighter Wing. In March 1951 he was assigned as Commander, 108th Fighter-Bomber Wing at Turner AFB. In December 1951 General Gillem went to England as Commander, Royal Air Force Station Upper Heyford, a part of SAC's 7th Air Division.

Post-Korean War Era service

In 1953 Gillem attended the Air War College. In 1954 he was then was assigned as deputy commandant, Command and Staff School, Air Command and Staff College. In 1956 he became commandant of the Command and Staff School from 1956 to 1957.

In 1957 he became commander of the 380th Bombardment Wing at Plattsburgh Air Force Base, New York. In 1961 he was promoted to Brigadier-General and was given command of SAC's 820th Air Division at Plattsburgh AFB. In September 1961 was assigned to Westover Air Force Base, Massachusetts, as commander of the 57th Air Division. In July 1963 he was transferred to Homestead Air Force Base, Florida, where he became commander of the 823d Air Division. In August, 1963 he was promoted to major general.

Lieutenant General Alvan C. Gillem II (1968-1970)

Vietnam War Era service

In May 1964 General Gillem was transferred to SAC headquarters at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, as Deputy Director of Operations. In July 1965 he was named Director of Operations (later redesignated as Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations) in July 1965.

In June 1968, upon promotion to lieutenant general, he took over the 3d Air Division at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, where for the following 26 months he commanded SAC's B-52 and KC-135 forces operating in the Western Pacific and Southeast Asia. In April 1970 the 3d Air Division was redesignated the Eighth Air Force.

Gillem became the 12th commander of USAF Air University on August 1, 1970, retiring on November 1, 1973 after serving there for three years.

Death

General Gillem died in 2009. He is buried in Arlington Cemetery.

Decorations

USAF Command Pilot's Wings
Distinguished Service Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross with bronze oak leaf cluster
Air Medal with 15 bronze oak leaf clusters.