Brett, George H. (George Howard), 1886-1963

George Howard Brett (7 February 1886 – 2 December 1963) was a United States Army Air Forces General during World War II. An Early Bird of Aviation, Brett served as a staff officer in World War I. In 1941, following the outbreak of war with Japan, Brett was appointed Deputy Commander of a short-lived major Allied command, the American-British-Dutch-Australian Command (ABDACOM), which oversaw Allied forces in South East Asia and the South West Pacific. In early 1942, he was put in charge of United States Army Forces in Australia, until the arrival of Douglas MacArthur. Brett then commanded all Allied Air Forces in the Southwest Pacific Area. In November 1942, he was appointed commander of the US Caribbean Defense Command and remained in this post for the rest of the war.

General Brett was rated a command pilot, combat observer and technical observer, and he held honorary commissions in five Central and South American countries. During his 35 years of active service, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Silver Star and the Distinguished Flying Cross. He also received decorations from 17 foreign countries, including the Order of the Orange-Nassau of the Netherlands and Knight Commander Order of the Bath of Great Britain.