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FOLLOWING THE BIOGRAPHY OF

GENERAL CLEMEMNTS MCMULLEN

IS A 374 PHOTO ESSAY AND TRIBUTE

TO HIS LIFE

Biography

Major General Clements McMullen, USAF

Retired: 28 February 1954

Died: 9 January 1959

Major General Clements McMullen

wearing his US Army Air Corps uniform

This biography is based on the primary source information from the estate of General Clements McMullen, and other public sources.

General Clements M. McMullen had a long and colorful career with military aviation. He is held in high esteem and is considered to be one of our nation’s early air force aviation pioneers. The general started his aviation career in the early ”Barnstorming” days, flew as a military aviator during WWI in the United States, was the winner of an air race and broke aviation speed records between the wars and served during World War II and the Korean War as an able commanding general officer. He continued to serve his country to 1954 as the Commanding General of the San Antonio Air Materiel Area, Kelly Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas and retired on February twenty-eighth of the same year.

Clements Manly McMullen was born to William A. and Rosa B. (Ramage) McMullen on 5 February 1892. He was a native Floridian of Scotch ancestry originally from Largo. He attended Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia from 1907 to 1911 and became a civil engineer. Prior to his entrance into the military, he was an engineer for the state of Florida from 1911 to 1917.

With the outbreak of World War I and having a love for flying, he first enlisted as a private and then entered the School of Military Aeronautics at the Georgia School of Technology in Atlanta on September 18, 1917. Upon completion of his technical training as an air cadet, the young McMullen was sent to Kelly Field outside of San Antonio, Texas for continued flight training. He was commissioned a second lieutenant and received his wings on 6 March 1918 and was placed in the Aviation Section of the Signal Reserve Corps and continued his training in aerial combat.

His first duty assignment was for training as a flight instructor at Kelly Field. Lieutenant McMullen would be sent to Kelly Field five times during his entire career. Kelly became his “home away from home” and he would eventually retire from the US Air Force at Kelly Air Force Base thirty plus years later.

Completing flight instructor training, Lieutenant McMullen was briefly stationed at Gerstner Field, Louisiana where he studied pursuit tactics and taught combat flying. However, this assignment was very short-lived and he found himself being transferred once again. In July 1918 he became officer-in-charge of flying at the Gunnery School at Rockwell Field, San Diego, California.

Lieutenant McMullen trained and flew with some of the most well known pilots in American military aviation history. Leaving Rockwell Field, he joined the 90th Aero Squadron at Eagle Pass, Texas for border patrol duty. In the summer of 1919, the famed Billy Mitchell organized the border patrols along the Mexican Border and Lieutenant McMullen continued to play his part. In January 1920, he became the flight commander with First Surveillance Group, located at Sanderson, Texas.

Detaching from the Reserve Corps, in 1920, Lieutenant McMullen was commissioned in the Regular Army with the same rank and shortly after was promoted to First Lieutenant on October 20, 1920. As a new First Lieutenant, he was, for a short time, stationed at the Air Intermediate Depot, Montgomery, Alabama as the Assistant Engineer Officer. In December 1921, he received yet another transfer to the Air Service Primary Flying School located at Carlstrom Field, Arcadia, Florida to continue his work as a pilot officer engineer in charge of the machine shop and motor tests.

Carlstrom Field was established in 1917. The Air Service Primary Flying School opened as the center for training pilots of the Air Service branch of the US Army for the war effort during World War I. It was a sizable air field with 90 building on approximately 696 acres. However, because of its geographic location, it was felt the Air Service Primary Flying School be relocated to an area with more flying days in relation to weather. A study completed by the Air Service recommended that the Air Service Primary Flying School be moved to Brooks Field, San Antonio, Texas. On June 20, 1922, Lieutenant McMullen helped start the move of the Air Service Primary Flying School to Texas. He was station at Brooks Field, just across San Antonio from Kelly Field.

While at Brooks Field, Lieutenant McMullen became the commanding officer of the 5^th Air Park, and later, the 62^nd Service Squadron. After two years at Brooks Field, he moved across San Antonio, and became the pilot engineer officer of the San Antonio Intermediate Depot at Kelly Field. He was, once again, stationed at Kelly in 1924.

While stationed at Brooks Field, Lieutenant McMullen was asked to participate in a rescue effort. A US Army pilot, First Lieutenant Charles F. Webber and US Cavalry Colonel Francis C. Marshall were presumed lost on a flight leaving from Rockwell Field, San Diego, California and heading for Fort Huachuca, Tucson, Arizona on December 7, 1922. McMullen, along with other military pilots, were involved with the rescue effort. Unfortunately, both men perished as their DeHaviland DH4B crashed east of Japacha Peak in the Cuyamaco Rancho State Park, Califonia.

Another tragic event took place while Lieutenant McMullen was stationed at Brooks Field in 1923. The US Army Airship C-2 exploded and burned. The giant dirigible C-2, the US Army’s biggest and best blimp was totally destroyed as it was being taken from the hanger. The C-2 just had completed a successful flight to California and back. Lieutenant McMullen witnessed and took a photo of the disaster.

Lieutenant McMullen continued his work at Kelly Field until he was ordered to the Philippines in 1926. He was transferred to Camp Nichols in the Philippine Islands for duty with the Second Observation Squadron and later transferred to the Third Pursuit Squadron at Clark Field, Philippines Islands in October. His tour of duty lasted approximately two years in the Philippines Islands and he was sent back to the United States in July 1928 and was stationed at Wright Field, Ohio.

Lieutenant McMullen’s younger flying days were not without mishap. In March of 1919 he notes he had “My first wreck, a Thomas-Morse Scout.” He was flying a Thomas-Morse Scout and landing was anything but smooth. As the airplane landed, he lost control and flipped the plane onto it back. In comparison to what could have happened, there was minimal damage to him and the airplane. Lieutenant McMullen was able to walk away from the wreck. As they say in aviation, “any landing you make that you can walk away from is a good one.” Though, in this saying, they never take note of the condition of the airplane. There was another incident in which he had a forced landing and broke his arm. He does not say much about this incident, however, recuperation and convalescence was needed after the incident which took place in Colorado.

Lieutenant McMullen was very much like any young modern aviator today. Flying was his first love but he was also interest in cars, polo, golf, swimming in the ocean, and hunting. He enjoyed showing off his new cars starting with his 1920 Hupmobile. Even as a major general in the 1950s, he continued to have is photo taken standing next to his new cars. He played polo and was involved government matches held on military bases in or close to areas in which he was stationed. He played golf on regular bases and, as the commanding general of the San Antonio Air Materiel Area in the 1950s, had a driving range established at Kelly Air Force Base.

Living in San Antonio, Texas gave him the opportunity to go on hunting trips into Mexico. On one such trip he was dressed riding a horse with a ten gallon cowboy hat looking very much like Gene Autry. On another hunting trip in 1925, he recollects that all things did not turn out well. He was hunting with two friends in Mexico, John L. Fogarty and Robertson, two other young aviators from Kelly and Brooks Field. Fifty-five miles in the middle of nowhere, and from the nearest garage, their car broke down. With their collective knowledge about cars, they were able to solve the problem, fix the car, finish their hunting and make it home.

The short time between World War I and World War II was a period of aviation advancement and experimentation. Air races became popular and aviators became national and worldwide heroes. The military urged their aviators to participate in competitions in order to gain knowledge and experience of the changes taking place in aviation. One only has to examine a list of participants from one of the air races to see that many of the aviators were representing the US Army or US Navy.

Because of his love of flying, the young Lieutenant McMullen entered a number of aviation competitions and races. In 1923 he was in St. Louis, Missouri and won the Liberty Engine Trophy Race in the National Air Races. The National Air Races in 1923 were sponsored by the St. Louis Post Dispatch and held at St. Louis Field, later renamed Lambert Field. McMullen represented the US Army and won the race using a Fokker CO4 traveling at the amazing speed of 139 miles per hour. His win made headlines.

Score Cards, Supplement to the Race Program,

International Air Races, St. Louis, Missouri

October 1-2-3, 1923

U.R. Trollygram and route information to the

International Air Races in St. Louis, Missouri, 1923.

Again making headlines, in February 1930, Lieutenant McMullen along with Lieutenant W.W. White would break a number of flying records. Using a Lockheed-Vega monoplane powered with a single Pratt & Whitney Wasp engine, they broke the overall flying record from New York to Buenos Aires with a registered flying time of 52 hours and 15 minutes.

In charting their flight from New York to Buenos Aires, they used a flying route that broke another aviation record and accomplished an aviation first time event. As they flew to break the record to Buenos Aires, they also broke the record for a flying time from New York to Miami, Florida. It was also the first time a non-stop flight was made between the United States and the Panama Canal. When the two young aviators reached their South American destination they were given a hero’s welcome and their exploits were radioed around the world. When Lieutenant McMullen was asked for his own views of the flight he stated:

“We have had a good run and it is naturally

a source of satisfaction that we have beaten

the time for the New York to Buenos Aires

route. What is to me equally thrilling is the

fact the we broke the New York to Miami

record by such a large margin and that we

were the first to bring a land plane from

Miami to Cristobal.”

It is estimated that the total distance flown by McMullen and White was 6,870 miles with an average speed of 130 miles per hour. A month later, Lieutenant McMullen returned back to his duty station at Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio. On his return, the city’s leading officials gave him a welcome as a national aviation hero. When asked to comment on his exploits he stated “It’s all in a day’s work for an aviator.”

In 1926, Lieutenant McMullen married Miss Adelaide (Nancy) Palmer Lewis. Miss Lewis had been married once prior on 15 August 1917 to Major Arthur Dow Newman, US Army. Major Newman was accidentally killed in a government polo match on 1 July 1922. She had two children from her previous marriage, Edward Lewis Newman born 19 April 1919 and Frank McCoy Newman born 12 September 1920. Lieutenant McMullen adopted the two children and their names were legally changed to McMullen. Miss Lewis was the daughter of Major General Edward Mann Lewis, West Point graduate of 1886 and brother to Major General Henry Balding Lewis, West Point graduate of 1913. Eventually, the McMullen family will have two more children.

In July 1928, Lieutenant McMullen entered the Air Corps Engineering School at Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio. He graduated in June 1929 and remained at the school as chief of the Repair Branch within the Experimental Engineering Section. While on assignment at Wright Field, Ohio, Lieutenant McMullen was blessed with the birth of his first biological child, Thomas Henry McMullen on 4 July 1929.

Lieutenant McMullen received his first promotion in eleven years to captain on 1 September 1931. Shortly after his promotion to captain, he became chief of the Power Plant Branch at Wright Field, in April 1932. As Chief of the Power Plant Branch, Captain McMullen was responsible for the introduction of turbo-super-chargers and fuel injection into actual operations in the US Air Corps.

Wanting to further his military aviation education and experience, Captain McMullen entered the Air Corps Tactical School at Maxwell Field, Alabama in September 1933. In June 1934 he graduated and remained as Post Engineering Officer.

In March 1935, Captain McMullen was transferred to the General Headquarters Air Force, Langley Field, Virginia. He first assumed the duties of assistant to the Operations and Training Officer, G-3, In this position he was responsible for operations, including staff duties, exercise planning, training, operational requirements, combat development and tactical doctrine for the Air Force branch of the US Army. In July 1936 he was promoted to the rank of major and soon after became the head of G-3 for General Headquarters Air Force.

In August 1937, Major McMullen was chosen to enter the Command and General Staff School located at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He graduated in June 1938, was transferred, and became Chief Engineering Officer at the San Antonio Air Depot located at Duncan Field, San Antonio, Texas. With World War II looming as a possibility in the not too distant future, the US Army Air Corps started a rapid expansion program and promotions came much faster especially to experienced pilots.

In December 1940, Major McMullen was promoted to lieutenant colonel and, in March 1941, assumed command of the San Antonio Air Depot, Duncan Field, Texas. While in this position he would submit a proposal for a 150-foot extension to the Engineering Building at a cost of $434,000.00. The Engineering Department was in dire need of space and suffered from a severe case of congestion. Another proposal was submitted for the “Blitzkrieg Hanger.” This hanger would have measured 120x200 feet with two-story lean-tos on either side. It would have been used for final paint touch-up work, armament installation and minor repairs. Because of congestion and overcrowded conditions much of this work was done outside in adverse weather conditions. Neither of the proposed development projects came to fruition while he was in command. However, he had laid the groundwork for an expansion that was crucial once the United States entered World War II.

Lieutenant Colonel McMullen was brilliant at analyzing a logistical problem and coming up with the appropriate solution. He was foresighted and could recognize pending problems. In 1941 he pleaded for base reorganization between the four Army Air Bases located in the San Antonio, Texas area. Kelly, Duncan, Brooks and Stinson Army Air Bases were all located within a few miles of one another and very close to the population center of San Antonio. Kelly and Duncan were adjoining air bases. Each base generated a multitude of flights on a daily bases setting the stage for a potentially dangerous situation. Recognizing the potential danger, he wrote to the Chief, Maintenance Command and suggested various solutions to remedy the problem. A number of his recommendations were taken into consideration and eventually implemented.

On December 7, 1941 the United States entered World War II with the bombing at Pearl Harbor, on the Island of Oahu, Hawaii by the Empire of Japan. Lieutenant Colonel McMullen’s career slipped into high gear as a capable command officer. The exigencies of war created a lot of fast promotions for individuals who had proven themselves capable of increased responsibilities.

Now on a war footing, and as the commanding officer of Duncan Field, he saw the need for immediate expansion and development projects that would be essential to the mission of the base and the overall U.S. war effort. He recommended that there be additional railroad spurs to service new and enlarged warehousing facilities, that a paint, oil and dope storage building be built, that a chemical storage building be built and that six (6) temporary engine test stands be built in lieu of the permanent four-cell construction types which existed. Once again, many of his recommendations were completed but only after he was transferred to a new duty station.

General McMullen’s “dog tags” that he used as

A lieutenant colonel at Duncan Field, San Antonio, Texas.

In January 1942, Lieutenant Colonel McMullen was transferred from Duncan Field, Texas and took command of the 3^rd Air Service Area, with headquarters in Tampa, Florida. In February 1942 he was promoted to full colonel and in June 1942 was promoted to Brigadier General.

After his promotion to brigadier general, he was transferred in August 1942 to the Air Service Command Headquarters located in Washington, D.C. and was appointed Chief of the Maintenance Division. The Gravely Point Depot located near the Washington National Airport was experiencing numerous logistic problems that impacted its overall effectiveness and, in turn, the general war effort. Between the efforts of General McMullen and a special investigator appointed by General Hap Arnold, the problems were pinpointed and a resolution was determined.

Half of the Army Air Corps aircraft that depended on parts from the Gravely Point Depot were grounded because the parts could not be obtained. A logistical problem existed in regard to the protocol required to order parts. The logistics problem created an overall breakdown within the depot. Once the problem was identified General Hap Arnold reacted swiftly to solve the problem. General Arnold ordered the materiel office at Gravely Point to be closed and that “logistics control” be centered in the Air Service Command (ASC) headquarters in Dayton, Ohio. Shortly thereafter, in December 1942, General McMullen was transferred to Patterson Field in Dayton, Ohio and assumed the same position that he held while serving in Washington, D.C.

At this point, the US Army Air Corps came to the conclusion that they needed an expert supply logistics, engineer and maintenance person in the field to inspect various locations within the European Theater of Operation. General McMullen was considered to be the best person in the Air Corps to complete this task. While officially stationed at Patterson Field, General McMullen was ordered to the European Theater of Operations on an inspection tour. The tour took him to locations in the African Middle and Far Eastern war theaters. Using a Douglas B-23 Dragon named the Burma Roadster, tail number 9038, he visited air bases, air depots and aerodromes within a 40,000 mile route from South America to Africa, India and China. He then flew to General Eisenhower’s Headquarters location to report the findings of his trip. Upon his return to Patterson Field, Ohio, General McMullen also reported his finding to Major General Walter H. Frank, commanding general of the Air Service Command. Proving himself to be capable of higher responsibilities, General McMullen, while on his inspection tour, was given his second star and promoted to major general in April 1943.

General McMullen recollected that there were some close calls during his inspection tour. At one point, while in China, the depot being inspected was only 40 miles from a Japanese air base. Getting in and out without detection was a task. At another point, over Burma, they spotted a marauding Japanese plane and had to duck into cloud cover. The guns on their plane had to be sacrificed for extra gasoline tankage. If spotted, they would have been an easy target. A final point of intrigue was in Egypt. As they were waiting to depart, a Wellington bomber blew a tire on take-off and crashed within 50 feet of their plane.

Upon his return to Patterson Field, Major General McMullen found out he was going to be involved in other such tours. One such tour was an inspection of all supply depots and air base stations within Alaska and the Aleutian Islands. The inspection was accomplished between the 15^th of September and the 1^st of October, 1943. In all, he flew 13,830 miles and visited 20 stations. His recommendation after the inspection suggested the redistribution of supplies and materiel in a more efficient manner coordinating the efforts through the Air Service Command and the Air Transport Command Alaskan Northwest Route.

General McMullen made an interesting observation and recommendation in regard to Nome, Alaska in his report. He states that Nome, Alaska “lends itself to further development due to its position to Russia and Siberia.” He recommended that Nome be designated a permanent station and developed so at least one group of fighters and one group of bombers be stationed there permanently during the post war period. Was this a prophetic recommendation? It seems his recommendation is based on the idea we were going to have problems with the Soviet Union following World War II.

General McMullen’s inspection tour of the European Theater of Operations and Alaska was considered vital to the overall US war effort. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for his efforts. Both tours together covered more than 50,000 flying miles. He would fondly refer to the two travel tours as his 1943 Odyssey. There is some documentation that alludes to the name as the code name for his 1943 operations.

On 17 September 1944, General Hap Arnold personally offered Major General McMullen’s services to General George C. Kenney as the man to take over supply and maintenance for the Far East Air Service. General Kenny accepted the offer from General Arnold as he knew General McMullen “was tops in the supply and maintenance field” and, in addition, was a personal friend of twenty-five years. According to General Kenney, he had tried to get General McMullen in the Pacific theater of operations for the past two years but without success as his expertise was needed in other places. General Kenney requested that General McMullen’s transfer be given top priority and that he be flown out right away.

In September of 1944 General McMullen learned he was the commanding general of the Far East Air Service. He reported to General Kenney on 13 October 1944 for duty. General McMullen was to take care of the needs of the Fifth and Thirteenth Air Forces in the Pacific Theater of Operations. He proved to be the perfect person for the job and executed his responsibilities with precision. He moved through the Pacific Theater of Operation with his headquarters first located at Brisbane, Australia, then at Hollandia, New Guinea and eventually at Fort McKinley in the Philippines.

Once General McMullen arrived in the Pacific Theater of Operations his assignment and duties were numerous. He was sent there for his expertise in air materiel, maintenance and the administration of Allied air depots. One of his many notable accomplishments involved Eagle Farm Airport in Australia. Eagle Farm was a small airport located southwest of Brisbane but it potential as an Allied Air Depot was essential to the Pacific War effort. In 1942, it was occupied and being used by the US Army Air Corps as an active airdrome to reassemble and test aircraft shipped in from the United States. The airport also included an Air Technical Intelligence Unit (ATIU) to test and analyze captured Japanese aircraft. Coordination and efficiency of supplies and material were given top priority to maintain the war effort in the Pacific. Within a short period of time, General McMullen greatly increased the overall effectiveness of Eagle Farm and other Allied Air Depots in the area.

Hollandia, the largest settlement in the Dutch western half of New Guinea was another point of concern. When the Japanese occupied this area they constructed three airfields on the flat plains between the Cyclops Mountains and Lake Sentani and began construction of a fourth on the Coast of Humbolt Bay. Once retaken by Allied forces, the airfields in this area became essential to the Pacific war effort. General McMullen moved his headquarters into Hollandia in order to establish and coordinate effective Allied Air Depots using the captured Japanese airfields. In addition, he established supportive Allied Air Depots throughout the region.

While stationed in Hollandia, General McMullen lost his personal pilot and good friend, Colonel Peter J. Prossen. Colonel Prossen had been with the general from the beginning. He had been his personal pilot during his inspection tour of duty in the European Theater, the Alaskan operation and traveled with the general as he took command of the Far East Air Service. On May 13, 1945, Colonel Prossen left Sentani Strip, Hollandia at 2:20 in the afternoon to fly over Hidden Valley. Losing altitude, the C-47 crashed into a canyon ridge. At the time of the crash, Major Nicholson, the co-pilot, was piloting the plane. There were three survivors to the crash.

One of General McMullen’s personal maps he used in the

Pacific Theater of Operations to assist him in completing

his job. His personal notations are marked at

numerous locations on the map.

The Allies continued their push towards the Japanese mainland. Eventually, the Philippines were recaptured by American Forces. On the 3^rd of September 1945, General McMullen was present when General Yamashita, the Tiger of Malaya, surrendered to American forces at Baguio in Northern Luzon, the Philippines and was presented with an original gold engraved copy of the Instrument of Surrender. Though the Pacific war was coming to an end it did not mean that his job was coming to an end. The end of the war produced an air depot materiel logistics nightmare. Thousand of aircraft had to be moth-balled and tons of support material and maintenance supplies had to be stored and shipped back to the United States and other destinations as dictated by the US Army Air Corps. Downsizing military stockpiles became a logistics problem following the war. For his efforts within the Pacific Theater of Operation, General McMullen was awarded his second Distinguished Service Medal for a major contribution to the success of the Far East Air Forces.

Original copy of the Instrument of Surrender

of all Japanese Forces in the Philippines to the United

States at the end of World War II. Leather bound

with gold lettering designating this copy to Major

General Clements McMullen, U.S. Army.

The signed two page document found within the

gold engraved red leatherette cover.

Following the end of World War II, General MacArthur announced the amalgamation of the Far East Air Forces and the U.S. Strategic Air Forces. The amalgamation created the Pacific Air Command United States Army, PACUSA. General Kenney was given command of PACUSA. In turn, General Kenney, in December 1945, appointed Major General McMullen (“the best supply man in the business”) as Chief of Staff, PACUSA with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. General McMullen remained with PACUSA till October 1946 at which point he was ordered to return to Air Force Headquarters in Washington, DC.

General Clements McMullen’s

citation which accompanied the Oak Leaf

Cluster to the Distinguished Service Medal.

At this point, I would like to comment about the children of General McMullen and their World War II experience. Edward Lewis McMullen, the general’s first son by adoption, entered the military prior to World War II and received his commission through OCS at Fort Sill. He was an American hero in the true sense of the word serving the entire war as a forward observer in the 113^th Field Artillery Battalion, 30^th Division. For his actions during World War II, he was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star with oak leaf cluster and the Purple Heart with oak leaf cluster. After the war he graduated from Texas A&I University with a degree in petroleum engineering.

Frank McCoy McMullen, the general’s second son by adoption, graduated from West Point in 1943 and served during World War II in the Army Air Corps. Frank flew missions out of England as first pilot in B-24s and B-17s. He flew with the 490^th Bomb Group, 8^th Air Force and was awarded the Air Medal. He continued his military career in the US Air Force following the war.

Both Thomas Henry McMullen and William C. McMullen, the general’s two biological sons, were too young to serve in the military during World War II. Thomas started his college education at St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, Texas, transferred to West Point and graduated in 1951. He had a distinguished career in the US Air Force and retired as a lieutenant general. William C. McMullen earned his wings in 1953 at Foster Air Force Base, Victoria, Texas and served with distinction.

In the fast-moving, event filled postwar period, many changes were taking place rapidly and in short succession in the Air Force. In November 1946, General McMullen, for a short period of time, took command of the Eighth Air Force when it was reactivated at Fort Worth Army Airfield, Texas. Two months later, in January 1947, he relinquished his command of the Eighth Air Force to Brigadier General Roger M. Ramey. General Kenney had other plans for his good friend General McMullen.

Shortly after General Kenney was named commander of PACUSA, the War Department felt he would better serve his country and the Air force stateside. He was in demand as one of the senior high ranking generals in the Air Force with invaluable experience. In March 1946, General Kenney was named Commanding General of the newly formed Strategic Air Command. In January 1947, General Kenney designated General McMullen as the Deputy Commander of the Strategic Air Command. General McMullen transferred to SAC Headquarters then located at Andrews AFB, Maryland. In March 1947 he also assumed the duties of Chief of Staff of SAC while also retaining the position of Deputy Commander. In line with his duties as Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of SAC, in April 1947 the general met with Captain Charles E. (Chuck) Yeager at Wright Field, Ohio to discuss the prototype YP-84 (F-84), one of the first jets mass produced by the United States.

Major General McMullen was in the position of Deputy Commander/Chief of Staff of the Strategic Air Command from January 1947 to October 1948. While in this position the Air Corps was separated from the US Army in September 1947 and became the Department of the United States Air Force. General McMullen was officially transferred from the Army Air Corps to the United States Air Force and retained the rank of Major General in the post war/Cold War period of the United States.

If General McMullen had a challenging period in his career it has to be the time he spent as the first Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of the Strategic Air Command from January 1947 to October 1948. Major General McMullen was gifted, resourceful and tough but all these talents would be no match for the responsibilities and historical events he was about to face. The very qualities of firmness (his nickname was “Cement Head” McMullen) and stern dedication to the task at hand that served him so well during World War II became a hindrance in the new post war/Cold War world.

As the commander of the newly formed Strategic Air Command, General Kenney should have been present to his command on a daily bases and involved with its overall administration. However, General Kenney found little time to devote to commanding SAC. Besides being a senior air advisor to the newly formed United Nations and Air Force representative to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he was a gifted public speaker often called upon to sell the idea of an independent U.S. Air Force. Strapped with so many responsibilities, General Kenney failed to make SAC a top priority until it was too late. Instead, he delegated broad powers and the everyday running of SAC to his deputy, Major General Clements McMullen. General Kenney should have never allowed this situation to take place. General McMullen was an expert in engineering, logistics, air materiel, supply and maintenance, not strategic long range bombing. He answered the call to his new duties with sincere enthusiasm and devotion as he always had done in the past but did so with the mind-set of logistics air materiel supply officer.

Following World War II all military services were confronted with monetary constraints and downsizing. The newly formed US Air Force was not immune to this process but they fared far better because SAC was the only nuclear ready command ready to deal a crippling blow to any adversary worldwide. As General Kenney declared “Destruction is just around the corner for any future aggressor against the United States. Quick retaliation will be our answer in the form of an aerial knock-out delivered by the Strategic Air Command.”

Unfortunately, SAC boasted about a capability which it did not posses. By the end of 1947 only two of SAC’s eleven groups were combat ready. General McMullen was determined to meet mandatory force reductions and at the same time increase efficiency. He accomplished this through a two-fold program by which he purged SAC of non-flying officers and allowed the aircrew to absorb the non-flying responsibilities, and by instituting a cross training program whereby a pilot could also be the navigator, bombardier and radar operator. Through the two-fold program fewer personnel would be required and the efficiency levels of existing personnel would be raised. Leading by example, General McMullen combined the positions of Deputy Commander and Chief Of Staff for himself and absorbed other SAC staff positions and organizations into his headquarters. General McMullen expected the US Air Force to revert to its prewar levels of highly professional and versatile small groups forced to economize and do everything as in the 1930s.

There was another problem that vexed the Strategic Air Command that was not the fault of General McMullen or General Kenney. The command had no power or control over the atomic stockpile. The atomic stockpile was under the control of the Manhattan District and its successor, the Atomic Energy Commission. Even if all SAC groups were combat ready operational, there were not enough atomic weapons or trained personnel to go around. Many SAC groups would not have had the bomb in case of war. It was estimated that it would have taken weeks to prepare a few dozen bombs for an atomic defense.

The storm clouds of the Cold War had been building since the end of World War II and in February and June 1948 it seemed the storm was going to become a tornado. In February 1948 a Soviet coup took place in Czechoslovakia and in June, the same year, the Berlin blockade became a sobering reality. In response, the United States answered the Soviet threat with the Berlin Airlift also known as Operation Vitals. The Cold War slipped into high gear and once again the world seemed to be poised for another shooting war. SAC was not ready and the reality was disturbing to many ranking officers. General Hoyt S. Vandenberg, US Air Force Chief of Staff, requested that Charles A. Lindbergh inspect six SAC bases. Lindbergh filed his report in September 1948. Citing General McMullen’s program, he stated that “SAC was suffering from low standards of professionalism, morale and proficiency.” He continued to state that there were many personnel disruptions and that cross training policies “seriously interfered with training in the primary mission of the atomic squadrons.” General Vandenberg replaced General Kenney the following month along with his deputy commander, General McMullen.

It is correct to say that the Strategic Air Command experienced setbacks while General McMullen was Deputy Commander. However, a number of things were accomplished while he was in command. The Hobson Plan of Reorganization of SAC combat unit structure was introduced. The Hobson Plan is best described in the book Strategic Air Command: The Development of the Strategic Air Command: 1946 – 1973 by John T. Bohn:

“Under this plan, wing headquarters bearing the same numerical

designation as the bombardment and fighter groups, were organized

and placed in a supervisory capacity over all combat and support

elements on the base. Prior to this reorganization, the base or

installation commander, who was often a non-flying administrator,

was the immediate supervisor of the combat group commander. The

Hobson Plan reversed this unwieldy arrangement. It elevated wing

headquarters to the highest echelon of command and placed the wing

commander in the position of directing rather than requesting that

his flying activities be supported. The flying activities remained

assigned to the combat group, which was normally composed of

three combat squadrons and a headquarters. The group commander

was directly responsible to the wing commander. The remaining

functions were divided among three groups, maintenance and supply,

airdrome, and medical, each of which was assigned to the wing.”

In 1947, personnel assigned to SAC did not increase significantly but the scope and volume of operations increased dramatically. SAC adopted the group character and attitude of an elite force and experienced its first stage of growth expanding from 279 aircraft to more than 700. The first SAC Maximum Effort Mission was accomplished. Simulated attack missions were flown in the United States using major metropolitan areas such as New York, Los Angeles and Chicago as targets. One such mission was over New York on 16 May 1947 in which 101 B-29s theoretically dropped their bombs. Such missions over American cities helped cultivate favorable public opinion and simultaneously trained flight crews.

Arctic aerial mapping missions were accomplished along with cold weather flying studies. The 311^th Reconnaissance Wing was involved in “Operation Eardrum,” the aerial mapping of Greenland. Operation Snowman studied the feasibility of landing on Greenland’s ice cap and established a weather station at Eureka Sound. Operation Polaris studied cold weather landings and flying between Iceland and Alaska. The Arctic studies provided invaluable information. Such Arctic missions helped SAC learn how to live, work and fly in cold weather on the Polar Cap. This information was necessary in order to establish a “top-of-the-world” air route and possible attack routes to and from the United States by the Soviet Union.

SAC became a symbol to the rest of the world of American airpower. It gave credence to President Truman’s diplomatic initiatives with both allied and enemy nations during the Cold War. SAC flew numerous short-term rotations to a number of allied nations in Europe and in the Orient. Through the short-term rotations, aircrews obtained valuable training and demonstrated the long distant combat capability of the United States. In addition, numerous training missions were flown as “goodwill” flights to Belgium, Holland, England, West Germany, Italy and France. A “Good Neighbor Flight” of six B-29s was made to Uruguay for the inauguration of their president, Tomas Beretta. SAC became a key element in American foreign policy, a role it played until the end of the Cold War till 1992 when it was eliminated in the US Air Force reorganization.

Another historical event took place while General McMullen was the Deputy Commander of SAC. The event has become General McMullen’s public “claim to fame.” In July 1947, the Roswell UFO incident took place that involved the 509^th Bomb Wing located at Roswell Army Air Field, Roswell, New Mexico.

The 509th was under the direct command of the Strategic Air Command as a SAC base. This wing was the designated group to drop the atomic bombs on Japan at the end of World War II and thus the only nuclear capable atomic wing in the country. Because of its experience with atomic weapons, the 509^th was the core atomic organization of the newly formed Strategic Air Command and therefore under the direct command of General McMullen/General Kenney.

It has been allegedly reported that General McMullen, acting as the Deputy Commander of the Strategic Air Command, gave direct orders to create a cover story for the incident and therefore create what has become known as the government cover-up of the Roswell UFO incident. This biography will neither prove nor disprove the historical allegations of a UFO cover-up. If the US Government classified the situation, I am sure General McMullen, as a professional Air Force Officer, responded in an appropriate manner to control and contain the situation.

In October 1948, General McMullen was named commanding general of the San Antonio Air Material Area (SAAMA) located at Kelly Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. He was back in his area of expertise and ready to go full steam ahead. In the summer of 1949 the pace at Kelly Air Force Base was settling into a normal tempo following the end of the Berlin Blockade and airlift. However, on June 25, 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea and the US was in another shooting war. Kelly AFB and SAAMA responded with the Air Force’s top expert in logistics and air materiel at its helm.

Within three days of the start of Korean hostilities the Air Materiel Command (AMC) initiated Project Hold-Off that held back items going to other destinations and gave those items priority for the Far East. General McMullen wrote an inspiring message to SAAMA personnel explaining the mobilization and the sacrifice requested of each individual. In an amazing response, Kelly Supply personnel worked two shifts seven days a week and all requests for the Far East Air Forces were processed within a twenty-four hour period of their receipt. In the months to come, Kelly Supply employees would complete as much as 50 to 60 percent of the overall work load of Project Hold-Off.

When a request was made of supply, SAAMA personnel were ready to spring into action. Kelly aircraft mechanics started working 24 hours a day. Individuals sacrificed personal vacation time. Thousands of aircraft were being pulled out of storage and they had to be readied for Korea. General McMullen monitored a hiring program that swelled the ranks of all SAAMA departments in order to meet the growing need of the US Air Force and the Korean effort. The Maintenance Division alone jumped from 6,620 to 8,011 workers by December 1950 in order to meet increased production schedules. At the end of 1952, 23,463 employees reported to work on a daily bases. By General McMullen’s retirement in 1954, SAAMA and Kelly Air Force Base was the largest employer in Texas and the Southwest.

By December 1950 it was clear to everyone the police action in Korea was not going to end soon. By this time SAAMA had clear directives for the war effort but also had to contend with the supplies and needs of the US Air Force within the continental US. The Air Materiel Command (AMC) adopted the “Two-Zone Support System” and SAAMA was responsible for bases within the United States west of the Mississippi River, Pacific air bases and the Korean War effort. On 16 December 1950, President Truman declared a state of national emergency and the draft was implemented. Kelly lost a number of its male employees to the draft. To fill the vacated positions, General McMullen welcomed the “Kelly Katies” back into the work force. A number of these women served during WWII and were back to resume their old jobs. By the end of 1951 there was 3, 297 women on the base payroll and the numbers continued to rise. Within the same year, General McMullen representing SAAMA and Kelly AFB received a Presidential Citation for employment of handicapped individuals.

A massive training program was implemented under the guiding eye of General McMullen. Experienced workers taught new workers by using “on-the-job-training” (OJT) techniques. In addition, the Kelly Apprentice Training Program was established which trained individuals for more complex jobs that required extensive classroom training. The program was essential in helping to meet the growing needs of skilled craftsmen. Even after the secession of hostilities on 27 July 1953, many of the Kelly training programs continued to educate the large work force that was maintained after the war. The work force did not draw down as had been in the past wars. Americans learned that the price of peace during the Cold War was continued vigilance.

General McMullen was a proactive commanding officer of SAAMA. He was not a desk general but rather one that could be seen during the course of the day at a number of locations gathering information and doing “hands-on” work. One of his largest contributions was the mechanization of SAAMA. He became personally involved with an extensive modernization project that brought the machine-age to Kelly Air Force Base. In one such project, General McMullen himself conceived an “aircraft loader.” He sent the blue prints to the Kelly maintenance shop at which point a prototype was built. The loader was placed into use and the result was that it took one-fourth the time to load and unload cargo from aircraft. In another instance, Kelly boasted the largest conveyor system in the world measuring 5,564 feet long. The cargo loader, conveyor systems and overall mechanization project was so successful that corporations across the country sent representatives to Kelly to observe what they had done. The corporations that came to Kelley were impressed. The following are comments made by one such corporation and published in the local newspaper:

“May I say that if the entire Federal Government, and military

establishment in particular, was operated as efficiently as your

base the state of the nation would be the best in our history.”

The reaction from related American industries was positive. The mechanization breakthroughs initiated at Kelly AFB created the impetus for future innovations in material handling at major commercial airports. In a popular reaction to the mechanization project two new words entered the vocabulary of Kelly employees and related corporations. People started referring to the “McMullenization” of SAAMA in the hopes that others could “McMullenize.”

On numerous occasions General McMullen would take time out of his busy schedule and walk amongst the civilian and military personnel at Kelly and stop to listen to what they had to say. He was always open to good ideas and constructive feedback. A monetary rewards program was established for ideas that saved the US Air Force and, in turn, the US Government money. General McMullen tried to make every Kelly employee and serviceman feel like they were an integral and important part of the system. On numerous occasions he would issue certificates of award and use other forms of public recognition to support their efforts. He also used the base newsletter, Kelly Air Force Base Flying Times, for kudos and accolades for the employees and servicemen. His rapport with the employees at Kelly made him very popular and they would fondly refer to him as “General Mac.”

From the very beginning of his command General McMullen tried to generate good feelings amongst the employees and military personnel under his command. He took command in October 1948 and the following December landed at Kelly Air Force Base dressed up as Santa Clause in a Sikorsky R-5 helicopter named “Santa’s Express.” With the Air Force Band at Kelly playing Christmas music he gave out candy and gifts to the children of civilian employees and military personnel. No one could say “General Mac” did not have a sense of humor.

During the early years of the Cold War, America’s deterrent against a Soviet threat was the Consolidated-Vultee (Convair) B-36 Peacemaker. The B-36 was our long-range bomber that could deliver a nuclear blow to any adversary at any point in the world. Initially, SAAMA was the maintenance depot for the for the Pratt and Whitney R4360 engines used on the B-36. By the spring of 1952, through Project SAM-SAC (Specialized Aircraft Maintenance-Strategic Air Command), SAAMA had complete responsibility for the B-36 and XC-99 within the western bi-zonal area. Whether it was engine maintenance, crash repair, or a modification, SAAMA, under the command of General McMullen, was responsible for maintaining SAC’s nuclear might.

As an experienced Command Pilot, General McMullen sought every opportunity to fly. In 1951 he wanted to establish himself as a contemporary record holder. In May an altitude record was established by the B-36 at Kelly Air Force Base reaching 42, 250 feet. Piloting the B-36 was Colonel Theodore W. Tucker. The B-36 remained at the record breaking altitude for about an hour. The following day, the plane took off again but this time with General McMullen at the helm. The aircraft remained at the record breaking height but this time for more than two hours. Though he did not set a higher altitude, he did break the endurance record for the height recorded the day previous. General McMullen felt continued flight experience allowed him to resonate with the pilots in his command.

The XC-99, also built by Consolidated-Vultee, was SAC’s long-range cargo carrier and the world’s largest land based aircraft. In 1950, Kelley became the home for the XC-99 so the aircraft could be properly maintained. There was only one XC-99 built. General McMullen, recognizing the popularity of the XC-99, recognized its value as a tool for positive public relations between the city of San Antonio and SAAMA. As the largest employer in San Antonio, he wanted the city to feel as if they were an important part of the Kelly Air Force Base family. School children, civic organizations, newspaper reporters and Kelly employees were permitted to walk through the aircraft and experience its huge size and amazing capabilities.

General McMullen never lost a chance to foster good public relations between Kelly, the city of San Antonio and the other military bases in the area. A yearly ten-day cultural and patriotic city wide celebration called Fiesta San Jacinto became the focus of his energy for building bridges amongst the civilian and military populations. He took great pride in leading the military organization that co-operated with Fiesta groups in staging various events. On numerous occasions, he allowed Kelly and SAAMA personnel to become involved with Fiesta events, opened the doors of Kelly and invited “King Antonio” to review his troops, provided luncheons for Fiesta dignitaries, brought in military marching bands and provided parade floats in the hopes of raising positive public support.

For his civic dedication to San Antonio, Texas

Major General Clements McMullen

Was awarded the honorary rank of

Grand Commodore of the San Antonio River Navy

By Mayor White in September 1950

General McMullen was popular with Kelly employees because he let them know they were important to him. Military personnel had housing provided. However, civilian employees could not find adequate housing. In addition, many of the civilian workers did not understand the intricacies of owning a home. To alleviate this situation, General McMullen established the “Buy-a-Home” program in March 1951. Consultants were made available to Kelly employees to explain and assist with mortgages and financing. Numerous homes were obtained for Kelly employees along with savings amounting in the thousands of dollars. The program was such a success that General McMullen was presented with a Resolution Commendation from the San Antonio Home Builders Association and the National Association of Home Builders on 13 April 1952.

The date 20 October 1952 was special to General McMullen. It was the day he celebrated 35 years of active duty in the service of his country. His entire career was spent in the air arm of the country whether it was the Army Air Corps or the United States Air Force. Quite a number of the 35 years were spent at Kelly one way or another. He started his flying career at Kelly during World War I. As he continued his career, he was stationed at Kelly in 1920, 1925, 1938 and finally in October 1948. General McMullen liked his work at Kelly and loved the people at Kelly and in San Antonio. He was quoted saying “I think it would be nice to go on serving at Kelly for the rest of my life.”

One last large project had to be accomplished before General McMullen retired. Due to the large number of employees going to and coming from Kelly, road congestion and parking was always a problem especially at the changing of the shifts. To help solve this problem, he needed the help of the city and county for legal issues and the Federal Government for funding. General McMullen sparked the idea of a four lane super highway that would run from Kelly AFB to the north side of San Antonio and bus routes that would be added so as to alleviate parking. From the period in which the project was suggest to 1954, before his retirement, General McMullen worked vigorously with city and county officials for the expansion of Stephenson Road and also assisted in obtaining one-million fifty-thousand dollars in federal grants to finance the new artery. Construction on the road started in February 1954, the same month in which General McMullen retired. For his work in making the expansion a reality, and in recognition of all that he had done for San Antonio as the Commanding Officer of SAAMA, Kelly AFB, the City Council voted unanimously to name the Stephenson Road expansion in honor of Major General Clements McMullen.

General McMullen Drive sign as it appears

today in San Antonio, Texas.

General McMullen retired on 28 February 1954 at the age of 62 with 37 years of active service to his country. Upon his retirement, he was the oldest active pilot in the United States Air Force and in command of the largest air depot in the world. He was one of the longest serving local commanders in the history of Kelly AFB and was loved and admired by both the civilian workers and the officers and airmen under his command.

Prior to his date of retirement, General McMullen attended a series of luncheons and farewell parties sponsored by groups from Kelly AFB and the City Council of San Antonio at which he was the guest of honor. “General McMullen Night” was on February 26 at which point he made his farewell address to his beloved Kelly AFB family. His retirement date was marked by one of the largest military celebrations in the history of the service.

Token and button given

as a memorial souvenirs to those who

attended “General McMullen Night”

by the Kelly Management Club and

at his retirement ceremony.

The celebration was attended by thousands of Kelly AFB civilian employees and military personnel, 62 active and retired USAF generals and 238 city, county and federal distinguished guests. The US Air Force Band played while 1,800 troops passed in review and an aerial salute flew overhead which included General Mac’s Queen, the XC-99. General McMullen was awarded his second palm to the Distinguished Service Medal, the third highest military award of our nation. General Edward W. Rawlings, Commander of Air Materiel Command, presented the DSM palm to General McMullen and in closing said “It’s hard to comment on the end of such a career. He has done a terrific job for the Air Force and we are going to miss him.” Tears were seen in the eyes of many at the conclusion of the ceremony as the band played “The Eyes of Texas Are Upon You.”

Original invitation sent out to those who were

Invited to the retirement celebration for

Major General Clements McMullen

On February 27, 1954 at Kelly Air Force Base.

General McMullen and his wife decided to make their retirement home in San Antonio. Because of his reputation for leadership and sound fiscal management, many in San Antonio felt he was destined for an important position, maybe even become city manager. There were many who thought he could “McMullenize” San Antonio. General McMullen never pursued any lofty city political position but rather became an active civic worker behind the scenes. Becoming a member of the Chamber of Commerce, he was named a chamber director and became chairman of the chamber’s Industrial Committee. In this position he helped organize the Greater San Antonio Development committee and was a member of that group’s original executive committee. General McMullen was also a board member for Wolff & Marx, a department store in San Antonio.

Determined to keep busy in retirement, General McMullen accepted an appointed as San Antonio’s chairman of the American Korean Foundation. The national organization sought funds for the general and industrial rehabilitation, housing and education in South Korea following the war. He emphasized that the maimed and handicapped be allowed to work as an integral part of South Korean industry. He was instrumental in raising local public awareness as to the plight of war ravaged South Korea. He emphasized that a strong South Korea was crucial in the struggle against Communism and the continued peace in Asia and the world.

Retirement also allowed the general to spend much more time with his beloved wife and lifetime soul mate, Nancy. She was always at his side and was the perfect military wife. San Antonio, Texas was their final home. On many occasions they enjoyed Texas BBQ and played Bridge with their friends. As a poet, General Clements McMullen expressed the love he had for his wife Nancy a few months before he died.

“Easter 1958

To my darling:

To let my heart sing, on this one Easter Day

There follows hereto a short and humble Lay:

“To my one and only Beautiful

Whose care has been so dutiful

During this sad time of life

When I’ve needed the help of a sweet wife

With this little gift, presented today,

I hope just to show, in a very small way

My deep appreciation and continuing love

With thanks to the Master who guides from above,

That we long ago together were so happily joined

And the name “Nancy McMullen” was blessedly coined.”

Clements McMullen

Badly ailing but still here”

General McMullen’s death came as a surprise and with little warning on 9 January 1959. He had been in poor health a year prior to his death as he was diagnosed with a chronic heart condition. He was admitted to Lackland AFB hospital for further treatment of his condition but suddenly died at 6:15 a.m. He was buried at the National Cemetery at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio with full military honors.

The grave site of Major General Clements

McMullen at the National Cemetery at Fort

Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas

Major General McMullen was rated a command pilot, combat observer and technical observer. He had flown a multitude of different types of AAF and USAF fighter and bomber aircraft including the XC-99. His awards included the Army Distinguished Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Air Medal, World War I Victory Medal, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with three service stars, World War II Victory Medal, Army of Occupation Medal for Japan, Philippine Liberation Ribbon with service star and the Philippine Independence Ribbon.

General McMullen was one of the charter members of the Order of Daedalians, a military society founded by Billy Mitchell in 1921 to commemorate all commissioned pilots who flew during World War I, the first war our country fought using aviation. He was a member of the Institute of Aeronautical Sciences, the Air Force Association, was listed in Who’s Who In America from 1944 to 1954, listed in Who’s Who in American Aeronautics Third Edition 1928, is listed in The Cambridge Dictionary of American Biography, and is listed in The Biographical Dictionary of World War II General and Flag Officers by R. Manning Ancell, 1996. The city of San Antonio, Texas honored General Clements McMullen by naming him to the position of “Honorary Alcalde (mayor) of La Villita” and by naming a drive/street in his honor, General McMullen Drive. He was also an honored Freemason.

The Order of Daedalians has honored General McMullen’s memory by instituting an award in his name that is given to this day. The Major General Clements McMullen Weapons System Maintenance Award is a Daedalian trophy presented annually to a USAF unit (wing level) for the best weapon system maintenance records for the preceding year. It was first awarded in 1960.

In October 1961, General McMullen’s wife, Nancy established the McMullen Trophy in honor of her late husband. The “McMullen Trophy” was presented each year to the San Antonio Air Materiel Area individual who submitted a suggestion having the greatest value to the United States Air Force. The “greatest value” was usually defined as the suggestion that saved the US Air Force the most money or was a cost cutting idea. General McMullen had a reputation of cost cutting and “McMullenization.”

“The evil that men do live after them while the good is oft interred with their bones…” (Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare) I believe the passage written for the play Julius Caesar by Shakespeare is descriptive of General McMullen’s contemporary public image. As humans we tend to accentuate the negative and forget the positive. He was a dedicated professional US Air Force officer with a distinguished career, a true patriot and American. His achievements and successes were many and he worked his way through the ranks based on his merit expertise and exceptional abilities. He served his country during two wars and never flinched when it came to getting the job done. Hopefully, history will remember him for his accomplishments.

Research Paper by:

Bro. John Schlund, SM

8 April 2007

Revised

7 September 2010

Revised

11 February 2011

Revised

19 February 2011

Revised

25 May 2011

Revised

2 June 2011

usafflagranks@aol.com

LIFE PHOTO ESSAY AND TRIBUTE TO

MAJOR GENERAL CLEMENTS MCMULLEN, USAF

The young Clements McMullen at graduation from

elementary school In Largo, Florida 1905.

William A. and Rosa B. (Ramage) McMullen.

The mother and father of Clements.

As a teen swimming with a friend off the shores

of Largo, Florida.

As a teen with his friend in his boat of the shores

of Largo, Florida.

On the beaches of Largo, Florida

with his friends.

Enjoying a lighter-than-air balloon at a county fair.

After graduation from Washington and Lee University

in Lexington, Virginia as a civil engineer for the state

of Florida, 1911 – 1917. Civil engineer Clements

McMullen is second from right.

Clements McMullen as an engineer in field

bivouac, 1911 – 1917.

An old steam roller working on roads for the

state of Florida when General Clements McMullen

was a civil engineer, 1911 – 1917.

From the estate of General Clements McMullen. An original panoramic

photo of the entire US Army Air Corps in 1916. Marked at the

bottom of the photo the general writes “The entire US Air Force,

1916 – Rockwell Field, San Diego, California.” The officer pilots

standing in front are identified (left to right) as: B.Q. Jones;

T. DeWitt Milling; Taliaferro; T. Bowen; Sutton; Joe Morrow;

Captain Goodyear; Kirkland; A.S. Cowan; C. Chapman; B.D.

Foulois; Mueller; Spike Gieger; Carberry; Netherwood; and

Captain Dodd. In 1916, the young McMullen was not yet

involved but very interested in aviation.

1917 as Private Clements McMullen prior to his

appointment to aviation school.

1917 – Aviation Cadet McMullen writes on the rear of this

photo, “Enroot to New York, construction equipment for

overseas shipment, November 1917. We had a train wreck

in North Carolina.

General McMullen’s aviation graduation class, 1917.

The 13^th aviation cadet class at Georgia Tech School

of Military Aeronautics graduating on or about

10 November 1917. Cadet McMullen is located last

on the right side. He drew an arrow to another cadet,

James P. Hodges who eventually became a major

General in the US Air Force and retired in October 1951.

At Kelley Field for continued flight training, 1918.

Sent to his family, the photo is marked “Yours Truly.”

Aerial view Kelly Field, San Antonio, Texas, 1918.

Marked on the rear as Kelly Field, 1918.

After receiving is wings, Lieutenant

Clements McMullen has his

Picture taken with his family in Largo, Florida, 1918.

The young proud Lieutenant Clements McMullen after

receiving his wings, 1918.

In July 1918, Clements McMullen became “officer-in-charge”

of flying at the Gunnery School

at Rockwell Field, California. An original

panoramic photo taken in 1918. The photo is marked Air Service

Flying School, Rockwell Field, San Diego, California, November

23, 1918. Lieutenant McMullen is located second row, 12^th

position from the right.

A blow-up of the panoramic view above, Lieutenant

Clements McMullen is second row, middle.

Another original panoramic photo marked as Rockwell Field,

Air Service Flying School, San Diego, California, 1918.

Photo marked “First US Hospital Aircraft – 1918

Curtiss Jenny JN6H – 180 HP Hispano Suiza Engine.

As a person who played golf. Photo taken in 1918

at a golf course in Colorado. The photo is marked

McMullen (far left), Lovell and Smith. The fourth

Person to the far right is not identified.

Inscribed on the rear “D-7 Fokker fighter of World War I

A superior airplane.”

Photo taken in 1919 of Major David McKelvey Peterson

(third from right) just prior to his aviation accident and

death on March 16, 1919. Major Peterson was a World

War I flying ace who flew with the Layfayette Escadrille

and the United States Army Air Service.

A photo from March 1919. General Clements McMullen

Remarks “My first wreck, a Thomas-Morse Scout.”

Lieutenant McMullen and friend at a location

in Pueblo Colorado, April 1919.

A photo marked as being taken in 1920. Also marked

is Clements McMullen (far left) Wallison, Fogierty,

Woodruff and Sauchison.

General Clements McMullen as a young lieutenant

with some of his aviator friends. Standing in

front of a DH-4B at Brooks Field, Texas in 1922.

Left to Right: Lieutenant Webster, Lieutenant Hewitt,

Captain Rust, Major Royce, Lieutenant McMullen,

Lieutenant Corkille, Staff Sergeant Horgan and

Staff Sergeant Long.

Lieutenant Clements McMullen works at his desk

As the Engineering Officer Primary Flying School

Brooks Field, Texas, October 1922.

Additional unidentified early military aviator friends.

Martin MB-2 Bomber early 1920s.

March 1921: General Pershing Inspects Kelly Field.

General John Joseph (Black Jack) Pershing second from

the left. To the left of General Pershing is Major Frank

Maxwell Andrews. Major Andrew eventually became a

Lieutenant General and was killed in Iceland during World

War II. Andrews Air Force Base was named in his honor.

To the right of Pershing is Major General Edward Mann

Lewis, father-in-law of General Clements McMullen. To the

far left is Lieutenant Colonel John Howard, Commander of

Kelly Field.

General Pershing continues his inspection of Kelly Field.

A cold March day, General Pershing continues his

inspection of Kelly Field.

In 1921, Lieutenant McMullen flies over the nations’

capital and photographs the Washington Monument.

Lieutenant McMullen enjoys playing Polo while

stationed at Maxwell Field, Montgomery, Alabama.

The young Lieutenant McMullen standing in

Front of his airplane wearing a sling and cast on his

right arm. He makes a notation that says “I broke

my arm in a forced landing on 3 July 1921.” The

forced landing was at Maxwell Field, Montgomery,

Alabama.

Continuing to wear the sling and cast on his broken arm,

the young Lieutenant McMullen convalesces from his

forced landing at the side of a pool located at the

country club located in Montgomery, Alabama.

The photo above depicts the Air Service Primary

Flying School at Carlstrom Field, Arcadia, Florida

being moved in 1922 to Brooks Field, San Antonio,

Texas. McMullen was the commanding officer of the

5^th Air Park at Carlstrom that eventually became

the 62^nd Service Squadron at Brooks Field.

The smiling young Lieutenant McMullen shows of his

new 1920 Hupmobile that he purchased while stationed at

Brooks Field, Texas in 1922.

The young aviator in 1922 at Brooks Field, Texas playing

around and having his photo taken while wearing a top hat.

On special assignment December 1922. Rescue mission

for US Army pilot First Lieutenant Charles F. Webber

and US Cavalry Colonel Francis C. Marshall who crashed

just below and east of Japacha Peak in the Cuyamaca

Rancho State Park, California. The aviator and cavalry

officer were on a flight from Rockwell Field, San Diego,

California to Fort Huachuca landing in Tucson, Arizona.

Standing left to right, the aviators pictured above are

identified as Webster, McMullen, Cockily, Rust and

Sergeant.

December 1922, the rescue team photographed with

reporters. McMullen makes a notation with arrows

on the pictures to himself, “me” (fourth from the left)

and to Webster (second from right) who eventually

will become Major General Robert M. Webster, USAF

who retired in October 1954.

Photograph dated 1923. Lieutenant McMullen, second

from right, stand with another military pilot aviator to

his left and two other individuals. He refers to the

other aviator as Bruce Neil.

The young Lieutenant Clements McMullen aviation

trophy winner, 1923. He won the Liberty Engine Trophy

Race in the National Air Races held in St. Louis, Missouri.

A frozen moment in time. Lieutenant Clements

McMullen as he is actually winning the Liberty Engine

Trophy Race in St. Louis, 1923

Lieutenant Clements McMullen with the

Fokker CO4 number 32 that he used to win the

Liberty Engine Builders Trophy Race in St. Louis, 1923.

Lieutenant McMullen was stationed at Brooks Field,

San Antonio, Texas on October 17, 1923 when

the US Army Airship C-2 burst into flames. It was

The US Army’s biggest blimp and had just successfully

completed a flight to California and back.

Notation of the photo reads “Captain Duncan laying

smoke screen at Kelly Field, San Antonio,

25 November 1923.”

Notation on the photo reads “Firing a salute at Kelly

Field, San Antonio, Texas.”

In 1925, Lieutenant McMullen and two friends named

Fogarty and Robertson decided to go on a hunting and

camping trip into Mexico. McMullen is wearing the

cowboy hat to the right.

Lieutenant McMullen as a cowboy on horseback

Looking very much like Gene Autry.

The photo is marked “McMullen as cook.”

On the same Mexico hunting trip in 1925. The photo

is marked on the rear “Fogarty and Robertson.”

Lieutenant McMullen standing. The inscription on the

rear of the photo says “We repair our car 55 miles

from the nearest garage in Mexico.”

Pan-American Goodwill Flight of 1926. With their

OA-1A mphibian aircraft, named The San Antonio,

Captain A.B. Daniel (pilot) and Lieutenant Charles

M. Robinson (co-pilot) check out the field prior to

departure. Their plane was one of five in the Pan-

American flight which began December 21, 1926 in

San Antonio, Texas and ended in Washington, D.C.

They were greeted in Washington, D.C. by President

Calvin Coolidge for their epic flight. Within three weeks

their historic flight was eclipsed by the solo trans-

Atlantic flight of Charles A. Lindbergh.

The photo is identified as Kelly Field, Texas,

January 12, 1929 at 11:00 AM

Breaking world flying records. Prior to their flight.

Lieutenant Clements McMullen and Lieutenant W.W.

White standing in front of the Lockheed-Vega monoplane

in which they broke the flying time from

New York to Buenos Aires, 1930.

International Newsreel Photo 1930.

Prior to their flight. Lieutenant Clements

McMullen and Lieutenant W.W. White in front of their

plane at the Newark Airport, New Jersey.

Associated Press Photo 26 February 1930

McMullen and White photographed on their arrival

at Las Palmas Airfield. Left to Right: Commander

Melgar, Chief of the Las Palmas Airfield; the American

Military Attaché, Captain Harold Harris; Lieutenant

Clements McMullen; Commander Harold B. Grow, Chief

Of the Peruvian Air Forces; Lieutenant White; and

Sergeant Majors of the Peruvian Army, Alvarillo

and Chilardi. McMullen front row and third

from the left.

Associated Press Photo 5 March 1930

Lieutenants McMullen and White photographed on their

their arrival at the Argentine army aviation field

El Palomar from Santiago, Chile completing

their flight.

Associated Press Photo 26 March 1930

Lieutenants McMullen and White shown on the deck of the

Southern Cross on their return to the United States

after making aviation history.

Department heads, Engineering Department, San Antonio

Air Depot, Duncan Field, San Antonio, Texas.

July 15, 1931

His first promotion in eleven years to captain on

1 September 1931.

Flight of Y1B-17 over Langley Field, May 12, 1937.

The inscription on the photograph reads: “To Major

C. McMullen, with the compliments of the 2^nd

Bombardment Group, Robert Olds, Lt., Col.,

AC Commanding.”

YB-17 Flying Fortresses on a goodwill trip to Buenos

Aires, Argentina in February 1938. Lt. Col. Robert

Olds was in command of the goodwill flight.

Aerial photo of Kelly Field, January 1938.

December 1940 as Lieutenant Colonel wearing the

US Army Air Corps dress blues.

December 1940 as Lieutenant Colonel wearing the

US Army Air Corps dress blues.

The only markings on the rear of the photo say “B-17.”

A life time friend, General George C. Kenney,

US Army Air Corps.

Photograph of General George C. Kenney with

General Douglas MacArthur, 1942.

On an inspection tour of the European Theater

of Operations in 1943. General McMullen looking

up at his Douglas B-23 Bomber named the

Burma Roadster.

Major General Clements McMullen and

his pilot, Lt. Colonel Peter J. Prossen near the

tail of the Burma Roadster. Notice the

two stars for the general’s rank

located on the tail of the plane.

The crew of the Burma Roaster left to right:

Major General Clements McMullen, Lt. Colonel Peter J.

Prossen, Lieutenant William R. Knezevich and

Two unidentified enlisted members.

The crew of the Burma Roaster.

General McMullen, far left, at the end of his 1943

ETO inspection tour reporting to General Eisenhower.

The following 25 photos were taken by

General McMullen during his inspection tour of the

European Theater of Operations in 1943.

A forward airdrome just before Tripoli, March 1943.

Officer and enlisted personnel getting ready

for inspection in Casa Blanca, Morocco, March 1943.

Touring the battlements of Marrakesh, Morocco.

He remarks on the rear of the photo,

“The infantry’s ideal.”

Inscription on the rear of the photo reads, “Quarters,

Bitter Lake, Suez Canal, March 1943.”

Inspection of the US Army Air Corps Air Depot

at Guna, Eritrea, March 1943. General

McMullen’s B-23, the Burma Roadster, tail

number 9038 is seen in the background.

Flying into Massawa, Eritrea, March 1943.

Inspecting building for possible use at Gura,

Eritrea.

General McMullen’s pilot Lt. Colonel Peter J. Prossen

sunning himself while sitting on a machine gun

turret in Eretria.

Western Sahara, March 1943.

A camel caravan as it crosses the desert near Imdur.

In Addis-Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, King

Haile Selassie pictured with officers of the

US Army and Air Corps, April 1943.

General McMullen draws an arrow to the king

on the photo.

Visiting the Ethiopian capital building in

Addis-Ababa, April 1943.

Officers of the US Army Air Corps on the streets

of Addis-Ababa, April 1943.

In Dhaka, Gambia. Building an airdrome by hand

with native workers, April 1943.

A strategic city of Constantine, Algeria,

April 1943.

Viewing the high positions of Constantine, Algeria.

Another strategic position in Constantine, Algeria.

Trying to land in Cairo, Egypt as a sandstorm starts

to cover the region, April 1943.

The Great Pyramids of Cheops, Giza, Egypt.

The Sphinx of Giza, Egypt.

Aden, Arabia, April 1943.

The photo above is in reference to the photo just below

this photo. The monument reads, “THESE TANKS

Regarding the original construction of which nothing is

accurately known were discovered by Lieutenant (now

Sir Lambert) Playfair when Assistant Resident at Aden

in the year 1854. They were then completely hidden by

rubbish and debris from the hills, but were opened out

and repaired by the British Government. The lower

circular tank (called Playfair Tank) was cleared out

subsequently. The aggregate capacity of all the tanks

exceed twenty million imperial gallons. 20^th February

1899. C.A. Cuningham. Brigadier General. Political

Resident Aden.”

Aden, Arabia, April 1943.

The water storage tanks described in the photo above.

The tanks were being inspected for a primary water source

for allied forces in the area and civilian use.

Aden, Arabia, April 1943.

The road going into the water storage area in relation

to the two photos above.

India, April 1943.

The Taj Mahal with the dome under renovation.

Karachi, India, April 1943.

Inscription on the rear of the photo reads, “The only place

Where camels draw 4-wheeled vehicles.”

During General McMullen’s ETO inspection tour,

he learned he was promoted to major-general receiving

his second star. This photo was taken on his return to

Duncan Field, San Antonio, Texas.

Major General Clements McMullen on his Alaskan

inspection tour, October 1943. This photo was taken

in front of the Technical Inspector’s Office on Shemya

Island at the southernmost point of the Aleutian

Island chain.

Lt. Colonel Peter J. Prossen, the general’s pilot,

in front of the Technical Inspector’s Office on Shemya

Island, October 1943.

General McMullen standing with his co-pilot,

Lieutenant William J. Knezevich, Nome, Alaska

September 1943.

Ready for some heavy duty cold flying

in Alaska.

On numerous occasions General McMullen enjoyed

piloting the airplanes that were taking him places

whether on an inspection tour or for regular duty.

General Clements McMullen referred to his two

Inspection tours in 1943 as his Odyssey Travels.

The map above displays the entire route of both

Inspection tours in 1943, the plane used for the travel

And a phot0 of General McMullen. The title key of the

Map says “1943 Odyssey being the travels of

C. McMullen in that year.”

General McMullen as chief of the Maintenance

Division, Patterson Field, Dayton, Ohio, 1944.

located seventh from left, front row.

Photo dated 1944, General McMullen, fourth from

right, talking to other Army Air Corps officers

at Patterson Field, Dayton, Ohio prior

to his transfer to the Pacific Theater of

Operations.

At Patterson Field, Dayton, Ohio as General McMullen

leaves for the Pacific Theater of Operations as

Commanding General, Far Eastern Air Service

Command, 1944.

Major General Clements McMullen leaving

For his overseas duty.

Leaving for the Pacific Theater of Operation as,

Commanding General, Far Eastern Air Service Command,

1944. Another chance to pilot an airplane.

Major General Clements McMullen wearing

His service dress coat cut and restyled

As an Ike jacket.

While assigned as Commanding General of the Far

Eastern Air Services, General McMullen had his own

B-17 assigned to him for his use. He named the B-17

Nancy in honor of his wife. The general writes on the

rear of the photo, “No champagne was expended

at the christening.”

On the rear of the photo General McMullen writes,

“My home in Hollandia from November 15 to

December 1, 1944.

Lake Sentani, Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea, 1944.

The area with the lake was of significant strategic

value to the Allies.

Lake Sentani, Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea, 1944.

The Japanese constructed three airfields on the flat

plain between the Cyclops Mountains and Lake Sentani.

Once the Allies occupied this area the town and the

airfields were of high value.

The Cyclops Mountains, waterfall and Hollandia,

Dutch New Guinea, 1944.

A close up of the Cyclops Mountains and its waterfall,

Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea, 1944.

The following five illustration are an artist’s

rendition of Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea in

March 1945. The name of the artist is R. (Mac)

D. Graham. General Clements McMullen estate.

Identified as Hollandia, General Headquarters,

March 1945.

Identified as Cyclops Mountain with waterfall.

Identified as Cyclops Mountain with waterfall, down the

road, on the outskirts of the town.

Identified as Hollandia.

Outskirts of Hollandia.

Finchhaven Air Depot, New Guinea, 1945.

General McMullen on an inspection of an

air force base in Brisbane, Australia,

13 July 1945.

General McMullen, third from right, talking to

the officers and men prior to his departure

from Brisbane, Australia.

Inspection of Eagle Farm, Brisbane, Australia,

July 1945. The aerodrome at this location was used

as a reassembly and test airfield for aircraft shipped

from the United States.

Generals McMullen and Kenney salute the US Flag

as it is raised for the reoccupation of the Philippines

from the Empire of Japan, 1945.

A photo from the San Antonio Evening News September

1945. Major General Clements McMullen, head of

the Far East Air Service Command, as he arrives

for the official surrender of all Japanese forces in

the Philippines to the United States. Notice

the general is wearing a side arm.

Japanese General Tomoyuki Yamashita, the Tiger of

Malaya, as he arrives to surrender all Japanese forces

in the Philippines to the United States,

2 September 1945.

The official surrender ceremony of all Japanese forces

in the Philippines to the United States,

2 September 1945.

The official surrender ceremony of all Japanese forces

in the Philippines to the United States,

2 September 1945.

A part of the American contingent accepting the

surrender of all Japanese forces to the United States

in the Philippines, 2 September 1945.

Major General Clements McMullen’s office at

Fort McKinley, US Army Base in the Philippines, 1945.

Headquarters Fort William McKinley, US Army Base

in the Philippines, 1945.

At the end of World War II aircraft were already

being “moth balled” and stored for future use and

or disposition. General McMullen visited one of the

storage areas and took photos of the “nose art” on the

stored airplanes. The following 33 photos are the

“nose art”photos. The location of the storage facility

is unknown.

B-24 Queen of Hearts

B-24 The Bobby Anne of Texas

B-24J

B-24 Number 700 Who Dat?

B-24 Hell’s Belle

B-24 The Sultan’s Daughter 100 Missions

B-24 Dream Gal

B-24 Number 946

B-24 Number 949

B-24 Photo Queen!

B-24 Outa This World

B-24 Flak Fled Flappers

B-24 Pennsy City Kitty Number 480

B-24 Tail Wind Number 467

B-24 Last Horizon

B-24 Streamliner Number 0543

B-24 Bourbon Boxcar

B-24 Wild Irish Rose Number 1673

B-24 Pretty Baby

B-24 Eager Beaver

B-24 My Joy

B-24 Juarez Whistle

B-24 Near Miss

B-24 Ready Teddy

C-47 Number 504

C-47 Miss Carriage

C-47 Keep It Under Your Hat

Ridin High

No Markings

Eager Lady

Ready Teddy

Miss Fury

084

Following World War II as Chief of Staff,

Pacific Air Command, 28 April 1946.

From left to right – Mr. Roy W. Howard,

correspondent, Colonel A.A. Fickel, Lieutenant General

Ira C. Eaker, Brigadier General F.O. Carroll, Major

General Clements McMullen and Brigadier General

Emery S. Wetzel

Emperor Hirohito of Japan, waving his hat

as he disembarks from a train on his way

to American Headquarters in Tokyo.

US military brass as they anticipate the arrival

of Emperor Hirohito at American Headquarters in Tokyo.

The crowds outside American Headquarters build in

anticipation of the arrival of Emperor Hirohito.

The motorcade of Emperor Hirohito arriving at

American Headquarters in Tokyo. A Japanese

delegate bows as the emperor arrives.

Emperor Hirohito, waving his hat, as he proceeds

to American headquarters from the motorcade.

Another view of Emperor Hirohito, waving his hat,

As he enters American Headquarters.

A Japanese diplomat and his wife.

An US air depot in occupied Japan.

A photo from a friend. The photo is inscribed,

“To Clem McMullen: In appreciation of his fine

friendship. J.H. Doolittle”

General George Kenney congratulates General

Clements McMullen as he takes command of the

8^th Air Force at Fort Worth Army Airfield, Texas.

Major General Clements McMullen as commander

Of the 8^th Air Force at Carswell Air Force Base

Greeting an unidentified colonel.

General McMullen, right, with two other US

Army Air Corps brigadier generals.

General McMullen wearing his US Army Air Corps

summer uniform at an unknown location.

Captain Charles E. Yeager and Major General

Clements McMullen at Wright Field, Dayton,

Ohio, inspecting the first YP-84 to land in

Washington, D.C. at Andrews Field, 8 April 1947.

Captain Charles E. Yeager and Major General

Clements McMullen at Wright Field, Dayton,

Ohio, inspecting the first YP-84 to land in

Washington, D.C. at Andrews Field, 8 April 1947.

INP Soundphoto 1 August 1947

Major General McMullem greets the pilots of seven

B-29’s arriving at Andrews Field, Maryland.

A SAC training mission in which a 1 stop flight was

Made from Tokyo, Japan to Washington, DC

In 33 hours and 28 minutes. The pilots delivered

A package from Lieutenant General Whitehead

Of the Far East Air Forces to General Carl Spaatz,

US Air Force Chief of Staff.

Headquarters, San Antonio Air Materiel

Area, Kelly Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.

Headquarters, San Antonio Air Materiel

Area, Kelly Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.

Major General Clements McMullen returned to

Kelly Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas in October

1948 as the Commanding Officer of the San

Antonio Air Materiel Area, SAAMA. One of the first

things he did was have a family photo taken. He had

four sons. From left to right is Thomas Henry, William C.,

his wife Nancy, the general, Frank McCoy, and Edward Lewis.

On Kelly Air Force Base at the home of the commanding

general standing in front of their 1949 Ford.

Inside General McMullen’s home. Close up analysis

of this photos reveals that the uniform the general

is wearing is transitional with the gold USAF

buttons on the Army Air Corps uniform.

For Christmas 1948, General McMullen landed

in a Sikorsky R-5 Helicopter, named the Santa’s

Express dressed as Santa Claus.

Santa McMullen arriving at Kelly Air Force

Base just in time for Christmas.

The band plays on as Santa McMullen meets

the children at Kelly Air Force Base.

Major General Clements McMullen, San Antonio Air

Materiel Area Commanding General is measured for

a new blue uniform by an employee in the Supply

Clothing Sales Store.

A Christmas family photo with the McMullen

family. Included are the mother of both Clements

and Nancy McMullen.

General Clements McMullen and his wife Nancy,

And her mother, at a formal engagement. Service dress

Uniforms are being used as semi-formal evening dress

With bow tie and white shirt.

Inside the general’s living room at Christmas with

his wife Nancy and her mother.

Major General Clements McMullen shaking

Hands with a unidentified politician at

Kelly Air Force Base. The inscription read

“To Maj Gen. Clements McMullen with

Best regards” signature is not legible.

General McMullen meets with General Benjamin

Chidlaw, Commander Air Materiel Command.

General McMullen returning to Kelly Air Force

Base from one of his many trips.

The photo is inscribed, “October 28, 1948 To my

good friend Major General Clements McMullen. This

instrument was made possible through your

cooperation in 1938. Fred H. Hugner”

General McMullen and his wife Nancy, Spring

1950.

Major General Clements McMullen, 1950.

The library/study/den/office in the home of General

McMullen, Christmas 1950.

General McMullen and another officer standing

in from of the San Antonio Air Depot on one of many

of his photo shoot opportunities.

General McMullen hosted a meeting for the Order

of Daedalians in 1950 at Kelly Air Force Base. The

members of the Daedalians from left to right are:

Charles E. Thomas, Jr; Westside T. Larson; Orlo H.

Quinn; Ray H. Clark; Clements McMullen; Martin C.

Giesecke; Bernard T. Caster; Delmar H. Dunton;

Paul C. Wilkins; William R. Bradford; Austin

W. Martenstein; John L. Fogarty; George

C. Kenney; Max F. Schneider; John N. Reynolds, Jr;

Vincent J. Meloy; Arthur G. Hamilton; Jacob E.

Fickel; Guy H. Gale; Eugene L. Eubanks; and

Elbert W. Franklin.

Daedalian members line up for

inspection of Kelly AFB, 1950.

Daedalian members continue their inspection

Of Kelly Air Force Base, 1950.

Daedalian members continue with an inspection

of the XC-99, 1950.

Another view of the XC-99. General McMullen

comments, “Something for DH-4 pilots to look at.”

Close up of some of the Daedalian members.

To the far left is Eugene L. Eubank, General Georce C.

Kenney, Max F. Schneider (name above head), Vincent

J. Meloy to the right of General Kenney and

Westside T. Larson, front far right.

Daedalian members inside one of the airplanes,

probably the XC-99.

General McMullen refers to this photo as the “Border

Rats.” Those aviator that flew the Mexican border

during World War I. They are identified, left to right,

as Larson, Fogarty, Schneider, Meloy, Kenney, Eubank,

Wilkins and McMullen.

Daedalian members, left to right: Meloy; McMullen;

Kenney; and Martenstein. Castor is identified on

the photo.

Daedalian members left to right identified

as Dowman, Beverley, Clark, Stewart, Meloy, and

Dunton.

A luncheon for the Daedalian members.

The head table with Daedalian members, left

to right, Larson, Kenney, McMullen, Fogarty,

and Reynolds also known as “Young John.”

General McMullen introduces the keynote speaker

for the Daedalian luncheon, General George C. Kenney.

Daedalian keynote speaker, General George C.

Kenney, giving his speech.

The photo is labeled Kelly Air Force Base 1950.

A B-36 coming in for a landing at an air force base

open house, 1950.

A B-36 coming in for a landing at an air force base

open house, 1950. Notice the North American Mitchell

B-25 on the ground.

B-36 on public display at an air force base

open house.

B-36 on public display at an air force base

open house.

B-36 on public display at an air force base

open house.

Major General Clements McMullen and his wife Nancy,

with a number of other people standing in front of the

XC-99 at Kelly Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas 1950.

The only comment written on the rear of the photo is

a name, “Shirley Hughes.”

Going to work wearing his blue service dress uniform, 1951.

Going to work wearing his 505s, with summer

Service dress trousers, khaki 193s, 1951.

General Clements McMullen with his new car

Talking to a section chief.

A national award being present to General

McMullen for the best suggestion submitted to the

US Air Force. Air Materiel Command and SAAMA

San Antonio Air Materiel Area takes first place.

March 1951.

General McMullen with Major General St. Clair Streett.

General Streett was a special assistant to the commanding

general, Air Materiel Command.

General McMullen showing General Streett what

appears to be a painting of the Army Air Force Hollandia

Headquarters during World War II.

25 April 1951

General McMullen receiving an award given to Kelly

Air Force Base. Kelly’s float won first prize in the

“Fiesta Flambeau” Night Parade in San Antonio,

Texas, 21 April 1951.

General Clements McMullen awarding Mr. Sherman

with a citation for superior achievement in training,

April 1951.

Major General Clements McMullen gives a check

for $1,900.00 to Mr. Richmond, the Red Cross

Manager at Kelly Air Force Base. A successful

1951 Red Cross Drive!

General Clements McMullen as an avid golfer. In 1951 he

had a driving range added to Kelly Air Force Base.

The driving range opened in May and the general

takes the first swing.

The first swing on the new driving range!

Following through on his swing!

Demonstrating some of the capabilities of Military

Air Transport Service, General McMullen drives his

personal car out of a C-124.

Selfridge Field, Michigan, 3 May 1951.

Kelly goes to the Materiel Show and Ford Parts Depot

From Left to right: General Clements McMullen,

Mr. Rogers, Mr. Eiserloh, Mr. Collins, Mr. Webb,

Mr. Perfect, Mr. Adams, Mr. Armacost, Mr. Johnson,

Mr. Hill, Lt. Col. Stogner, Lt. McAllister, Col. Wilson

and Maj. Cronkhite.

General McMullen talks about the logistics of air

materiel with Air Chief Marshal Sir George Clark Pirie,

a senior commander of the Royal Air Force (RAF) on

17 May 1951.

Major General Clements McMullen (center) and

Brigadier General James L. Jackson (far right)

entertain a foreign dignitary and military personal.

General Clements McMullen, Peg Booth Manhard,

Philip Manhard and Colonel Charles Jung examine an

inlaid map table presented to the general.

A proud General Clements McMullen with his wife

Nancy as their son Thomas graduates from West Point in

1951. Thomas attended St. Mary University in San Antonio,

Texas, received his appointment, and graduated from the

U.S. Military Academy with a bachelor of science degree

in military engineering and a commission as a second

lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force.

Major General Clements McMullen pin pilot wings

On his son, Thomas H. McMullen

Made for family viewing, General Clements McMullen

poses as the chief.

At a formal gathering! General McMullen is located to

the right talking to other officers. Notice the dress attire.

Mess dress uniforms did not exist at this point and they

are using their service dress uniforms as the semi-

formal evening dress uniform with white shirt and bow tie.

A colored photo of the XC-99 flying over Dallas, Texas.

The XC-99 being service at Kelly Air Force Base.

The XC-99 flying over Lindbergh Field, San Diego,

California, 14 May 1951.

A B-36 flying of the Capital of California at

Sacramento.

General Edwin William Rawlings, Commander of the

Air Materiel Command visits the San Antonio Air

Materiel Area (SAAMA) 1 February 1952. General

McMullen is facing General Rawlings but his face is

obscured by the officer standing in front of him.

General Edwin Rawlings greeting the staff of

General Clements McMullen.

Major General Clements McMullen and his wife

Nancy meet with the Secretary of the Air Force,

Mr. Finletter and his wife at Kelly Air Force Base.

General Clements McMullen presents the 1952

National Safety Council – Air Materiel Command

Award of Honor to Fred Keienburg, Chief Safety

Engineer, Ground Safety Section.

On February 2, 1952, General Clements McMullen

presents a check for $12,500.00 to the Heart Fund.

For Accomplishment in housing the personnel in his

command, Major General Clements McMullen,

commanding the San Antonio Air Materiel Area, is

presented a resolution of commendation from the San

Antonio Home Builders Association, by Alan E.

Brockbank, Salt Lake City, president of the National

Association of Home Builders. Presentation made

at the Menger Hotel on April 13, 1952.

The Kelly Air Force Base float in the 1952 day parade

Of Fiesta San Antonio. General Clements McMullen

Strongly supported the annual weeklong celebration.

The Kelly girls who were is the race for “Queen of the

Kelly Float” in the Fiesta of April 1952. The

Winner upper left.

Major General Clements McMullen, SAAMA commander,

Gives a check for three, three-quarter days’ pay to

Cliff Heskew, Secretary-Treasurer of the Kelly AFB

Charity fund.

Photo is inscribed on the rear, “I decorated Barney

Van Horn, 6 November 1952.

General Clements McMullen in front of the

Maintenance-Engineering Directorate with Barney

Van Horn and Colonel Freddy Bell.

General Clements McMullen and his wife Nancy

Stand with Brigadier General James L. Jackson

And his wife just after being promoted. General

Jackson also became the deputy commander of the

San Antonio Air Materiel Area.

Photo was taken at a party for retired Air Force personnel

located at Randolph Air Force Base, November 1952.

Those pictured, left to right, are identified as, “Hodges,

Don’t Know, Jamison, McMullen, Brunt, Davies and

Barnett.”

A smiling General McMullen comments, “We gave the

Red Cross $12,500.00 at Kelly on 1 April 1952.

General McMullen at a San Antonio, Texas Chamber

of Commerce luncheon, at Kelly AFB, as keynote speaker,

Spring 1952.

San Antonio, Texas Chamber of Commerce visits

Kelly Air Force Base, Spring 1952. General

McMullen interviews a member of the Chamber of

Commerce, Brigadier General Jack Gordon, retired.

General Clements McMullen presents a commendation

To Mr. Hubert L. Smith for his outstanding performance

of duties as the general’s personal Technical Assistant.

7 May 1952. General McMullen cutting the ribbon

on a historical display and painting dedicated to

Lieutenant George E.M. Kelly, American Army

Aviator namesake of Kelly Field/Air Force Base

who died in an airplane crash in 1911.

Lieutenant George E.M. Kelly US Army aviator.

Colonel Luker, USAF lays a wreath

on the grave of Lieutenant George E.M. Kelly.

7 May 1952 was referred to as “Kelly Day”

and celebrated with a 21 gun salute.

Personal colored portrait of Major General Clements

McMullen, spring 1952.

A bit more serious! Personal colored portrait of

Major General Clements McMullen, spring 1952.

General Clements McMullen with Mr. E.V. Higgins,

Assistant Secretary of the United States Air Force at

Kelly Air Force Base on May 17, 1952.

Photo taken in SAAMA Headquarters in front of

General McMullen’s command flag or colors.The

inscription on the photo says, “To General Clements

McMullen in deep appreciation of his great qualities

and lifelong friendship. Wm. O. Higmen 9/6/52”

General McMullen receiving a Presidential Citation

for Employment on 10 October 1952.

It was awarded for the efforts made for equal opportunity

employment for the handicapped at SAAMA and Kelly

Air Force Base.

Receiving Presidential Citation for Employment.

Brigadier General James Leroy Jackson, to

the right of McMullen.

Through the efforts of General Clements McMullen,

employees and military personnel donated $90,000.00

to the Bexar Country Community Chest Fund in 1952.

Another photo of a proud General Clements McMullen

Donating $90,000.00 to the Bexar County

Community Chest Fund.

Major General Clements McMullen on the

occasion of his 35^th anniversary of service to his country,

20 October 1952, is presented with a hand-made tea

table from the 2899^th Depot Training Group by Colonel

Burton H. Rowden, Chief of Personnel

and Administration.

General Clements McMullen and his wife Nancy

having a good time while helping to set up for

one of the general’s anniversary parties for 35 years

of service to his country.

General Clements McMullen and his wife Nancy

Greet other guests at a 35^th Anniversary Perty.

At a party for 35 years of active duty, General McMullen

and his wife Nancy cut and serve the cake. Notice the

general is wearing his summer service dress uniform as

the semi formal evening dress uniform prior to the

USAF adopting mess dress in 1958.

General McMullen’s son Thomas joins in the celebration

For his father’s 35 years of active duty. Both are wearing

their summer service dress as semi formal evening

dress uniforms. Ribbons on such an occasion were

considered optional.

Mr. Ramspeck, Chairman of the Civil Service

Commission, visits Kelly Air Force Base on October 28,

1952. Standing in front of SAAMA headquarters, from

left to right is Mr. Ramspeck, General McMullen,

Unknown Person, and Colonel Rowden.

The head of the Civil Service Commission visits Kelly

AFB on October 29, 1952. Both the head of the

Commission and General Clements McMullen

talked with a number of employees.

Socializing with the Lady’s Club at Kelly Air Force

Base. General McMullen is flanked to the left by

Amy Brown and left by Dorothy Robins. He always

made a special effort for his wife Nancy and the

Lady’s Club.

General Clements McMullen as the keynote speaker at

the Lady’s Club luncheon.

General Clements McMullen looks at his certificate

from the Texas Chapter of Sigma Iota Epsilon,

the National Honorary and Professional Management

Fraternity. He was inducted into the fraternity on his

merits as being a professional manager of SAAMA

and Kelly Air Force Base.

Major General Clements McMullen, USAF, 1952.

Another day at work as he relaxes behind his desk, 1952.

General McMullen hosting another civic group in front

of the Kelly Air Force Base Officers Mess.

General McMullen, Ed Hill and Colonel Monty Wilson

inspecting and relaxing inside one of the many buildings

located on Kelly Air Force Base.

Air Marshal W.A. Curtis, RCAF, and party stand

dwarfed under the tail of the giant XC-99, world’s

largest operating aircraft, at Kelly Air Force Base.

The Canadian team visited all the US Air Force Bases

within the San Antonio area. Left to right are:

Squadron Leader McKinnon, RCAF; Air Marshal

Curtis; Major General Clements McMullen; Mrs. Curtis;

Major General Robert L Walsh, USAF and Air

Commodore Max Henricks, RCAF.

Major General Clements McMullen awards

Command Pilot wings to Colonel Charlie Stark.

The people are indentified, from left to right, as:

Lieutenant Colonel Alexander McCain; Colonel Ted

Tucker; Colonel Monty Wilson; Barney Van

Horn; Captain M.G. Hassenmiller (Aide to General

McMullen); and General McMullen.

On the rear of this photo, General Clements McMullen

Writes, “ Fluffy Fuzz II the B-29 I flew home from

Tokyo in October 1946 being salvaged at Pyote

Air Force Base, Texas in November 1952.”

Just landed after breaking 1,000 hours flying

the XC-99. General McMullen shaking the hand

of the pilot Captain Jimmie Pittard, Jr. upon landing the

XC-99.

On 9 January 1953, General Clements McMullen

presents Captain Jimmie Pittard, Jr. with a special

award for 1,000 hours of flying time with the XC-99

on scheduled runs from Kelly to the west coast.

Notice the XC-99 in the background.

Surprise birthday party February 5, 1953.

General Clements McMullen arrives back at Kelly

Air Force Base as the band plays and his men stand

At attention as he disembarks his aircraft. General

McMullen stand to the left saluting his command.

Note the two stars of the general on the B-26.

World’s longest conveyor is flanked by Major General

Clements McMullen and its designer, Barney Eiserloth.

The conveyor linked three east Kelly warehouses. The

first dolly to be pulled along the new system proudly

bore a sign proclaiming it “the world’s longest.”

13 February 1953

Boom service truck developed at Kelly Air Force

Base in 1953 to meet the needs of the XC-99 and

B-36 Bombers.

April 3, 1953. A photo of the men who make the decisions

And plan operation at Kelly Air Force Base, the third

Largest industry in the nation, are shown with Major

General Clements McMullen (seated). Left to right:

Colonel Burton H. Rowden, Deputy for Personnel

And Administration; Colonel Monty D. Wilson, Deputy

For Supply; Colonel Ben T. Strogner, Deputy for

Procurement; Roy H. (Barney) Van Horn, Acting

Director of the Maintenance Division; Lieutenant

Colonel Irving C. Eells, InspectorGeneral; Colonel

James W. Luker, Deputy of Special Weapons; Colonel

Laurence Growden, Base Executive; and A.C. Heskew,

Comptroller’s Division.

Air Materiel Commanders, 2 July 1953, Wright-

Patterson Air Force Base. Front Row, left to right:

Major General Kingston Eric Tibbets; Brigadier

General Charles Pratt Brown; Major General Arthur

W. Vanaman; Major General Clements McMullen;

Major General Lyman P. Whitten; Major General

Kenneth Eugene Webber; Major General

Frederick Rogers Dent, Jr.; and Major General

Manning E. Tillery.

The Order of Daedalians Staff of 1952 re-elected

1953: Orlo Quinn, Provost; Paul Wilkins, Treasurer;

Martin Giesecke, Adjutant; General Clements McMullen,

Commander; Joe Johnson, Vice President; Charley Chauncey,

Member; and Barney Giles, Member.

Once again, a large donation to the Community Chest

Of Bexar County. Outdoing his previous donation, General

Clements McMullen presents a $94,000.00 donation to the

Community Chest of Bexar County, $4,000.00 over the amount

Given the previous year, 1952.

Once a head of maintenance himself, General Clements

McMullen visits the Directorate Maintenance Office with the

Head of the department and its department members.

Even generals have to be waked up in the middle of

The night. Colonel Fred Bell conferring with General

Clements McMullen in the middle of the night. Not having

Enough time to put on his uniform, General McMullen

Meets with the colonel in his night robe.

General Clements McMullen confers with Colonel B.H.

Rowden, Personnel and Administration, SAAMA.

Always ready to reward those who deserve the kudos

And accolades, General Clements McMullen awarding

A citation to another deserving Kelly employee.

In front of Headquarters, San Antonio Air Materiel Area.

Always trying to make people feel positive about their

Performance, General McMullen meets with and

Congratulates a section chief and the personnel.

General Clements McMullen meets with civic leaders

At Kelly Air Force Base.

Unidentified group! General Clements McMullen standing

With another US Air Force major general, brigadier

General and five other men. All are wearing small tags

Over their left pockets marked “In Memoriam 1953.”

August 17, 1953 in Washington, D.C. General Nathan P.

Twining, Chief of Staff of the US Air Force, presents the

1952 Daedalian Trophy for flying safety to General

Curtis E. LeMay, Commander of the Strategic Air

Command. The presentation was made in General

Twining’s office in the Pentagon. Left to right with

General LeMay are members of the Order of

Daedalians: Brigadier General W.W. Welsh, (Ret);

General George C. Kenney, (Ret.); Major General

Clements McMullen, Wing Commander, Order

Of the Daedalians; General LeMay; Brigadier

General Martin F. Scanlon, (Ret); Colonel Arthur

Christie (Ret.); and General Twining.

Major General Clements McMullen standing with his

wife Nancy in front of their car and residence on

Kelly Air Force Base.

Open house at Kelley Air Force Base.

Major General Clements McMullen poses on one of first

planes while the new planes of the USAF are in

the background. The Open House for Kelly AFB was on

Labor Day, 1953. General McMullen is sitting in a

Curtiss Pusher from 1910. In contrast the large

XC-99 is in the background.

Major General Clements McMullen greets his

Son Thomas as he returns from the Korean War

And joins his command at Kelly Air Force Base.

Back from the Korean War, General McMullen’s son

joins his father at Kelly Air Force Base. In 1953,

Lieutenant Thomas McMullen joined the Kelly AFB

family as a flight test maintenance officer. Before

leaving Kelly, he test flew about 30 types of aircraft after

they had undergone depot maintenance.

General Clements McMullen leaving on one of his

many trips.

In his Eisenhower “Ike” Jacket uniform, General

McMullen is ready to go.

On many occasions, General McMullen would pilot

his own airplane. In this photo, the general is flying

a T-29. He was qualified to fly many aircraft.

A family photo taken of the military men in the family

of Major General Clements McMullen. The youngest,

William, to the far left, just received his wings and

commission as second lieutenant in the US Air Force.

A family Christmas photo of General McMullen and his

wife Nancy in their home, December 1953. In less

than two months General McMullen will retire

from the United States Air Force.

General Clements McMullen’s son William as he

Enters his jet when he was flying with the

339^th Fighter Squadron.

Standing in front of Headquarters, San Antonio Air

Materiel Area, General McMullen stands at attention

and salutes the American flag with two other

unidentified men.

An old friend comes to visit General Clements

McMullen. Major General Edward M. (Pop)

Powers (Ret.) comes to visit his old friend Clements at

Kelly Air Force Base.

The photo has no markings. The only people identified

in the picture is General McMullen, center, and

Barney Van Horn sitting to the right of the general.

General McMullen greets Lieutenant General Edwin

William Rawlings, Commander Air Materiel Command,

as he arrives at Kelly Air Force Base for a visit.

General McMullen sitting with General Rawlings

As they review information about Air Materiel

Command. Shortly after this visit, General Rawlings

earned his fourth star.

Dinner and Bridge on February 6, 1954.

General Clements McMullen, an avid Bridge player,

Giving suggestions to his wife during a playoff

Amongst friends.

The husbands all helping their wives during Bridge

Following a dinner. Playing were: Colonel Freddie Bell

And his wife Fern; General Clements McMullen and

His wife Nancy; Colonel Ben Stogner and his wife Red;

And Colonel Charley Jung and his wife Julie.

Hosting the dinner party and Bridge on February 6, 1954

Was Colonel Ben Stogner and is wife Red pictured

Standing next to General Clements McMullen and his

Wife Nancy.

General Clements McMullen’s older brother, Alonzo B.

McMullen, visits the general at Kelly Air Force Base.

A retirement cocktail party given by Colonel Freddie

Bell and his wife Fern. General McMullen chose to

wear his US Army dress blue uniform to the event. He

fondly recollected the period in which he was promoted

to Lieutenant Colonel and was made the chief of

engineering at the San Antonio Air Depot at Duncan

Field, 1938.

General Clements McMullen and Colonel Freddie

Bell as they reminisce over the general’s long career

That dates back to the plane pictured on the wall

Between the two men.

General Clements McMullen, his wife Nance, Colonel

Freddie Bell and his wife Fern as the general reminisces

About his World War II achievements while looking

At a painting of Hollandia, the location of his

Achievements.

A Hawaiian retirement cocktail party given on February

7, 1954 by Colonel Al James and his wife Nan. General

Clements McMullen and his wife Nancy are dressed for

The occasion.

General Clements McMullen is his summer silver-tan

Uniform as formal evening dress with bow tie and

Hawaiian leis.

Major General Clements McMullen and his wife

receives the certificate of “Honorary Alcalde of La Villita”

from San Antonio City Councilman Lester. The honor

was bestowed upon the in lieu of his retirement.

Now a four star, General Rawlings flew in the day before

the retirement ceremony of General McMullen. General

McMullen greets him for the final time as he arrives at

Kelly Air Force Base, 27 February 1954.

General Rawlings as the keynote speaker at a dinner in

Honor of General Clements McMullen. General McMullen

was to officially retire the next day.

General George Kenney (Ret.) also a key note speaker

At the retirement party the night before General

Clements McMullen retired.

San Antonio city leaders spoke on behalf of General

Clements McMullen at his retirement party, the night

prior to his retirement. Through the efforts of the general,

San Antonio grew and thrived as the San Antonio Air

Materiel Area became the third largest employer of

government civilian workers in the United States.

The retirement party for the general was known officially

as “General Clements McMullen Night.” The entire

event was recorded. General McMullen looks at some of the

recording and playback equipment used at his event.

The next nine photos are of the retirement ceremony

of General Clements McMullen on 28 February 1954

at Kelly Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.

The Color Guard passes the reviewing stand of

retiring General Clements McMullen.

The men of Kelly Air Force Base pass-in-review as they

render and eyes-right to the retiring general.

The Color Guard rendering salute and Command Flag

is lowered as the National Anthem is played.

All the men of Kelly AFB rendering hand salute as

the National Anthem is played.

Generals McMullen, Rawlings, Kenney and other

dignitaries rendering hand-salute as the

Color-Guard passes the reviewing stand.

Generals McMullen and Rawlings rendering a

hand-salute as the National Anthem is played.

General Edwin Rawlings presenting General

Clements McMullen with his third

Distinguished Service Medal just prior to his

retirement for an job well done at Kelly AFB as the

Commanding Officer of the San Antonio Air Materiel

Area and for his long distinguished career in service

to his country.

General McMullen listens as his military achievements

are read in his honor and as he is awarded a

second cluster to the US Army Distinguished

Service Medal for accomplishments above

and beyond the call of duty.

General Clements McMullen giving his speech and

looking on as a squadron of six transport aircraft flew

overhead in his honor. The XC-99 flew overhead

as well as the general always thought of her

as the “Queen of the Skies.”

The officers of Kelly Air Force Base give their final

salute as the retired General Clements McMullen

steps down from the reviewing stand at the end

of the ceremony.

General Clements McMullen’s retirement ceremony

was televised for the city of San Antonio. After the

retirement ceremony, General McMullen and his wife

Nancy are interviewed on the day’s events.

Major General Clements McMullen, (Ret.) looks at

special certificate given to him upon his retirement.

The certificate reads,

“To Major General Clements McMullen,

Commander San Antonio Air Materiel Area, In

appreciation for his noteworthy contributions

to the missions of the United States Air Force and

Air Materiel Command. Under his guidance the San

Antonio Air Materiel Area has maintained a uniformly

high level of accomplishment. His cumulative score since

the beginning of the AMC Management Evaluation

System gives it undisputed first place among all Air

Materiel Command Installations for consistently

excellent performance. The achievements of San Antonio

Air Materiel Area are an eloquent testimonial to General

McMullen’s exceptional abilities and devotion to duty.

General Edwin W. Rawlings, USAF, Commander,

Air Materiel Command”

After retirement, General McMullen decided to make

San Antonio, Texas his permanent home. Pictured

is his retirement home located at 515 Lamont Avenue.

Fun after retirement! General Clements McMullen (Ret.)

with his wife Nancy enjoying themselves with friends

at a Texas style BBQ with a cold Lone Star Beer.

Back in Florida for a McMullen family reunion. General

Clements McMullen (Ret.) is located 10^th from the left.

Three positions over the general’s right shoulder is

his son Thomas.

With little warning, on 9 January 1959, General Clements

McMullen, (Ret) died from a chronic heart condition.

General McMullen’s coffin, draped with the American

Flag and flanked on either side with an Officer Honor

Guard.

Flower arrangement presented by the Oder of

Daedalians.

Flower arrangement presented by Kelly Air Force

Base.

Flower arrangement presented by the Freemasons.

General McMullen was buried with full military honors.

The Honor Guard and band as they enter the National

Cemetery at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas.

Honor Guard rendering hand-salute, rifles are preparing

to render twenty-one gun salute as taps are played

by the band.

Twenty-one gun salute is rendered in honor of the

life of Major General Clements McMullen, USAF.

In 1960 at Kelly Air Force Base, the

Major General Clements McMullen Weapons System

Maintenance Award was established with the

General’s wife, Nancy and son William, present at the

Ceremony. The national award was started by the Order

Of Daedalians and is a trophy that is presented

Annually. The trophy is given to a USAF unit

(wing level) for the best weapon system maintenance

Records for the preceding year.

Nancy McMullen and her son William with the

Major General Clements McMullen Weapons System

Maintenance Award established by the Order of

Daedalians. The large trophy is displayed at

Headquarters of the winning unit, group or command.

The large trophy travels to the new winner while the

Award plaque stays with the previous winners.

In October 1961, Mrs. Adelaide McMullen, presents

The “McMullen Trophy” to Major General William

Thomas Hudnell, San Antonio Air Materiel Commander,

In a ceremony at Kelly Air Force Base in memory

Of her late husband, Major General Clements

McMullen, former commander of SAAMA. William C.

McMullen, her son, holds the smaller trophy presented

To the individual.

The “McMullen Trophy” is presented each year

To the SAAMA individual who submits the suggestion

Having the greatest value to the United States Air Force.

The large trophy was displayed in various offices

Throughout the base. The name of the annual award

Winner was inscribed on the front of the permanent

Large trophy. The smaller trophy was presented

To the winner for their own possession.

Photo Essay by:

Bro. John Schlund, SM

18 February 2011

Revised

25 May 2011

Revised

2 June 2011

Related Topics

LIEUTENANT COLONEL FRANK MCCOY MCMULLEN, USAF

LIEUTENANT GENERAL THOMAS H. MCMULLEN, USAF

IS THERE A UFO CONNECTION?

GENERAL MCMULLEN’S SERVICE DRESS UNIFORM

GENERAL MCMULLEN’S BLUE IKE JACKET UNIFORM

GENERAL MCMULLEN’S SEMI FORMAL EVENING DRESS

GENERAL MCMULLEN’S US ARMY TRANSITIONAL UNIFORM

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