Kepner, William E., 1893-1982

William E. Kepner was a United States Army colonel, 1st Air Support Command; brigadier-general, 4th Tactical Air Command; and a major-general with the 4th Air Force, 8th Fighter Command, 2nd Air Division and 8th Air Force.

William E. Kepner (b. 1893, Miami, Indiana-d. July 3, 1982), Lieutenant General in the U.S. Air Force, served in the Marine Corps, the Indiana National Guard, and with the 28th Infantry on the Mexican border. During World War I he commanded a company in key combat actions. He entered the Air Service in 1920 and was a pioneer balloonist as well as learning to fly conventional aircraft. In 1943 General Kepner took command of the 8th Fighter Command in the European Theater, flying during and following the Normandy Invasion. Later he became commanding general of the 8th Air Force's 2nd Bomb Division, then heading the 9th Air Force, personally flying 24 combat missions. A highly-decorated officer, General Kepner retired in 1953.