Ralph G. Taylor (1918-1997) was born in Nashville, Tennessee, and attended Durham High School and Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. In September, 1941, he entered the U.S. Army Air Corps aviation cadet training, and in 1942, received his pilot's wings and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. During World War II, he began service in the European Theater in January, 1943, and served as a combat pilot flying P-40, P-47, and P-51 aircraft. He was credited with six aerial victories, and with the destruction of seven enemy aircraft on the ground. In 1945, he entered the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and upon completion, returned to Europe where he served in Germany under the occupying U.S. Forces there. During the Korean Conflict, Taylor was stationed in Japan in 1950-1951, where he flew T-6, T-33, and F-86 aircraft. He returned to the U.S. in 1951, and served with Headquarters, Eastern Air Defense Force, Stewart Air Force Base, New York, and later with the 4708th Defense Wing at Selfridge AFB, Michigan as Director of Operations and as Deputy Commander. In October, 1956, Taylor served a tour of duty in Iceland as Commander of the 1400th Operations Group. He served in several additional command roles at Headquarters, U.S. Air Force throughout his career. In August, 1961, he began attendance at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at Fort McNair, Washington, D.C. After a brief return to Michigan, he served as the Deputy Director of the Alaskan Region of the Federal Aviation Agency. He was later named as the first Commander of the U.S. Air Force Tactical Fighter Weapons Center upon its activation on September 1, 1966. Taylor achieved the grade of Major General effective March 15, 1968. He retired from active duty on March 1, 1971. He was a command pilot and logged over 5,000 hours of flying time. His career distinctions included the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 10 oak leaf clusters, Soldier's Medal, Combat Readiness Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, and Distinguished Unit Citation Emblem with oak leaf cluster. Taylor died on September 18, 1997.
From the description of Taylor, Ralph G., 1918-1997 (U.S. National Archives and Records Administration). naId: 10616061
