Wilson, Albert T. (Albert Theodore), 1911-1970

Albert Theodore Willson Jr. (1911-1970) was born in Alva, Oklahoma. He attended Lafayette College in Pennsylvania for a year, and then entered the U.S. Military Academy, from which he graduated and was commissioned a second lieutenant of Infantry June 12, 1934. He entered Primary Flying School at Randolph Field, Texas, in September 1934, and graduated from the Advanced Flying School at Kelly Field, Texas, and was rated a pilot in September 1935. General Wilson transferred to the Air Corps on Jan. 29, 1936 and was assigned to March Field, Calif., where he served successively with the 30th and 32d bomb squadrons. Wilson entered the Communications course of the Air Corps Technical School at Chanute Field, Ill., in September 1938, graduated in June 1939, and became assistant base operations officer. In October 1940 he was named supervisor of the Radio Operators Division of the Air Corps Technical School, which had been moved to Scott Field, Ill. From November 1941 to May 1942 he served with the U.S. Military Mission to North Africa and then returned to Scott Field and assumed the position of director of training for the Air Corps Technical School. In June 1944, he was appointed communications officer for the XXI Bomber Command at Peterson Field, Colo., and the following October moved to Guam in that capacity. He was designated communications officer for the U.S. Army Strategic Air Forces on Guam in September 1945. He was assigned in February 1946 to the 15th Air Force, Air Defense Command, Colorado Springs, Colo., as assistant chief of staff. He entered the Air War College at Maxwell Field, Ala., in August 1946, graduated in June 1947, and was appointed chief of Electronics Division, Headquarters, U.S. Air Force. He assumed command of the 28th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, Strategic Air Command, at Rapid City Air Force Base, S.D., in August 1948. Going overseas in 1951, General Wilson was named chief of the Operations and Training Division, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces Europe. Still in Wiesbaden, he was transferred to the Military Air Transport Service, and named commander of the 1807th Airways and Air Communications Service Wing. Returning to the states in July 1954, he was designated deputy chief of staff, operations, at MATS Headquarters, Andrews Air Force Base, Md., remaining in this capacity when MATS moved to Scott Air Force Base, Ill., on Jan. 20, 1958. Going overseas, on April 23, 1958 General Wilson was assigned to Headquarters Pacific Air Force, with duty station at Yongsan, Korea with assignment as senior member United Nations Military Armistice Commission (United Nations Command Component). In November 1958, General Wilson was assigned duty as assistant Air Force comptroller, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., where he remained until July 1961 when he was appointed deputy commandant, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort McNair, Md. He was assigned as vice commander, Continental Air Command, Robins Air Force Base, Ga., in August 1963 where he served until his retirement in 1965.