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MAJOR GENERAL CLEMENTS MCMULLEN BIOGRAPHY
BIOGRAPHY
LIEUTENANT COLONEL
FRANK MCCOY MCMULLEN, USAF
(Son of Major General
Clements McMullen)
Figure 1: Lieutenant Frank
McCoy McMullen
just after receiving his wings.
The estate of Lieutenant
Colonel McMullen provided information and photographs pertaining to himself,
Major General Clements McMullen, and the general’s family. In that regard it is
an important source of data for the Major General Clements McMullen collection.
Over the years, starting with his graduation from West Point in 1943, Colonel
McMullen retained original copies of his military orders up to his retirement
in 1968. However, his collection of military orders is not complete. There are
periods of time in which there are gaps in the time line.
On 15 August 1917, Major Arthur Dow Newman, US Army married Miss Adelaide Palmer Lewis, daughter of Brigadier General and Mrs. Edward M. Lewis in Springfield, Illinois. By 1921, the couple had two children, Edward Lewis Newman born 19 April 1919 and Frank McCoy Newman born 12 September 1920 in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Figure 2: Colonel McMullen’s biological father,
Major Arthur Dow Newman, US Army as
Lieutenant.
Major Newman is the biological father of
Colonel McMullen. However, on 1
July 1922, Major Newman participated
in a government polo tournament and sustained a terminal spinal injury. In a
collision with another polo rider his spine was broken and the major died at 10
o’clock PM the same evening. He is buried in Arlington
Cemetery.
Figure 3: The home of
Brigadier General
Edward
M. Lewis, US Army at Camp
Travis, Texas.
In 1926, Adelaide married
Major General Clements McMullen, Army Air Corps. The two children Edward and
Frank are adopted by General McMullen and bear his name; Edward Lewis McMullen
and Frank McCoy McMullen.
Colonel McMullen attended
Hampton High School, Hampton, Virginia from 1935 to 1937. Upon graduation he
was admitted to the University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida. He took after
his father, Clements McMullen, and majored in engineering from September 1937 to
June 1939. In 1940, Frank received his appointment to the United States
Military Academy at West Point. He graduated from West Point in 1943 with a BS
in civil engineering.
Lieutenant McMullen
graduated from West Point during World War II. After graduation, he was sent to
Smyrna Air Base, Smyrna, Tennessee for additional flight training. On 1
December 1943 he was promoted to First Lieutenant.
On 8 February 1944,
Lieutenant McMullen was attached to the 490th Bomb Group, 849th
Bomb Squadron (H) that was presently located at the Army Air Field in Mountain
Home, Idaho. There he was trained as a B-24 bomber pilot. On 10 April 1944 the
490th was given a temporary change of station to the 273rd
Army Air Force Base Unit (SB), Lincoln Army Air Field, Lincoln, Nebraska. While
at this temporary station the 490th received orders for their
permanent overseas destination on 22 April 1944.
The 490th was
to leave Lincoln Army Air Field and head for the air port of embarkation which
was the Caribbean Wing, ATC, Morrison Field, West Palm Beach, Florida and then,
after re-supply head to their permanent overseas destination. Lieutenant
McMullen was part of crew number 5464-TZ 35 and piloted the B-24 airplane
number 42-94927. Their destination was
England and upon arrival the 490th Bomb Group was attached to the 8th
Air Force. While attached to the 490th Bomb Group, Lieutenant
McMullen also flew missions as first pilot in a B-17.
On 8 December 1944,
Lieutenant McMullen received orders that detached him from the 490th
Bomb Groups and had him report stateside to Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio,
Texas. After reporting to Fort Sam Houston in December, he was assigned to the
1040th Army Air Force Base Unit, Army Air Force Redistribution
Station number 4, Santa Ana Army Air Base, Santa Ana, California for processing
and reassignment. He was to report to the Redistribution Station no later than
22 January 1945.
On 17 February 1945,
Lieutenant McMullen was reassigned as the assistant to the Assistant Chief of
Staff for Plans, Headquarters, Army Air Forces Training Command, Fort Worth,
Texas. He was promoted to Captain on 26 March 1945. While assigned to the AAF
Training Command, he completed a course of instruction AAFIS (Instrument Pilot)
while on temporary duty at Bryan Army Air Field, Bryan, Texas.
One 25 July 1945, Captain
McMullen, once again, is reassigned to another permanent station. He was
assigned to Headquarters Far East Air Forces, Manila, Philippine Islands and
was to report to his duty station no later than 7 August 1945. Upon his arrival in the Philippines, he was
assigned to the Fifth Air Force. The exact location is not known but his
reassigned Army Post Office (APO) number is 710 and his reporting date was 16
August 1945.
On 2 February 1946,
Captain McMullen was reassigned to Japan. By this date he is assigned to
Headquarters, Itami Army Air Base, 46th Air Service Group and is the
Squadron Commander of the 70th Bombardment Squadron (L) APO 660
(Japan). He appoints himself Custodial Officer of the Squadron Fund.
In 1946 the captain
experienced a number of transfers and assignments. For a short period of time
he was assigned to the 5th Bomber Command APO 994, 13th
Bomb Squadron of the 3rd Bomb Group (L) APO 328, and Headquarters
317th Troop Carrier Group APO 704. On 17 October 1946 Captain
McMullen was assigned as an alternate to an Aircraft Accident Investigation
Board for the 46th Troop Carrier Squadron, 308th Bomb
Wing (L) APO 712.
By 5 March 1947 Captain
McMullen is stationed at Tachikawa Army Air Base, Honshu, Japan. He is assigned
to the 41st Tr Carr Squadron, 317 TCG and is the Summary Court
Officer for “the trial of such persons as may be properly brought him.” On 13
June 1947 the Captain was granted a fourteen-day leave of absence in order to
go to Nagoya Army Air Base APO 710 for non-specified reasons.
On 24 October 1947 Captain
McMullen was given clearance for a goodwill run. Using a C-54 aircraft, tail
number 27-2732, he proceeded to Cairo, Egypt after landing at Kiangwan Airfield
Shanghai and making contact with the Chinese Ministry of Health. One hundred
twenty-eight cases of Cholera Vaccine were obtained. Sixty-four cases were to
be delivered to the American Legation at Jidda, Saudi Arabia and the remaining
sixty-four cases were to be delivered to the Ministry to Public Health, Cairo,
Egypt. After delivery of the vaccine the C-54 and crew were to return to Tokyo.
On 10 December 1947,
Captain McMullen was ordered to report to his father, Major General Clements
McMullen, who, at the time, was located at Andrews Air Force Base (Andrews
Field) as the Deputy Commander of the Strategic Air Command. While he was at
Andrews Air Force Base he received his Determination of Departmental Status on
31 December 1947 that designated him as a member of the newly separated United
States Air Force. On 16 January 1948 he was assigned to the 509th
Bomb Wing, 393rd Bomb Squadron, Walker Air Force Base (Roswell Air
Field), Roswell, New Mexico. He was to report there no later than 20 January.
Figure 4: The orders received by Captain McMullen
ordering him to
Andrews Air Force Base and to report directly to his
father,
Major General Clements McMullen dated 10 December 1947.
Figure 5: After arriving at Andrews Field (Andrews Air
Force Base),
on 31 December 1947 Captain McMullen Received his
official
notification that he has been attached to the newly
formed US Air Force
and is no longer in the US Army. On the top right of
these orders he wrote
down his next assignment, 509th Bomb Wing,
Roswell, New Mexico.
Upon his arrival at
Roswell Air Field, he was placed on temporary duty for an indefinite period of
time in order to attend the base 1037 school. His present MOS (AFSC Air Force
Specialty Code) was 1024, however, there was no indication as to the purpose or
title of the 1037 school. On 29 April 1948, he is granted a ten-day leave of
absence and he goes to visit his biological grandfather, Brigadier General E.M.
Lewis in Berkeley, California.
On 17 August 1948 Captain
McMullen was appointed as Summary Court Officer for the purpose of
administrating the personal effects of TSgt Clyde N. Vanderslice, AF-18034166,
deceased. The orders do not say what caused the death of TSgt Vanderslice.
However, his son, Rick Vanderslice, is a personal acquaintance of mine and he
explained to me that his father died in a B-29 crash which departed from
Roswell Air Field. Rick stated that the plane was overloaded with men and cargo
and went down. Rick Vanderslice did not remember any personal effects from his
father. To date, I have found no records of a B-29 crash that departed from
Roswell Air Field within the time frame mentioned. However, I have to admit,
more research is needed in regard to the B-29 crash.
On 5 October 1948 Captain
McMullen is placed on temporary duty for approximately twelve days and is sent
to Greenville AFB, South Caroline for the purpose of testing special equipment.
In 1947 Greenville Air Force Base, South Carolina had reactivated as the global
headquarters for the Military Air Transport Service, MATS. It remained an
administrative facility for several years. Greenville
AFB was renamed Donaldson AFB in 1951.
On 3 November 1948 Captain
McMullen is placed on temporary duty and flies to San Antonio, Texas for the
purpose of ferrying military personnel. On 19 November 1948 he is appointed to
a Board of Review for Technical Orders and Equipment. On 23 December 1948 he
takes a five-day leave for Kelly Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. On 25
January 1949 he had the MOS specialty 1091 removed from his file. On 22 March
1949 he is placed on temporary duty for approximately four weeks and is sent to
MacDill AFB in Tampa, Florida for the purpose of attending Medium Bomb
Transition Training School.
From 22 March 1949 to 11
December 1950 there is a gap in his orders. From May to August 1949, he
completes Air Tactical School. By the end of 1950, Captain McMullen completed
the required course of instruction at the US Air Force Navigation School at
Ellington Air Force Base, Houston, Texas
and is rated an Aircraft Observer (Navigator) effective 19 December
1950. He received this order from the Headquarters, Air Training Command at the
time located at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Following his training he was
given a 10 day leave at which his leave address was General Clements McMullen
Hq SAAMA (San Antonio Air Materiel Area), Kelly AFB, Texas.
After his leave he was
assigned to sixteen weeks of temporary duty to Mather Air Force Base,
California to attend courses #103700 and course #103701 which commenced on 24
February 1951. The courses were for the rating of Aircraft Observer
(Bombardment), MOS 1037. After the completion of the courses, he was assigned
to MacDill Air Force Base, Florida and attached to the 305th
Bombardment Wing Medium, 365th Bomb Squadron. He received his
Aircraft Observer (Bombardment) rating on 23 May 1951 and change in MOS. As a
member of the 365th Bomb Squadron he attended the Swimming and Basic
Survival Training Courses which commenced on 30 July 1951.
There is another large gap
in his orders from 11 September 1951 to 5 April 1963. However, on 8 September
1951, Captain McMullen received notification from Headquarters Strategic Air
Command that he was promoted to the rank of major. On 22 March 1954, he
receives notification that he continues to hold the Aero Observer ratings in
navigation and bombardment. A lack of orders during this time period can be
partially explained by the fact he attended courses in 1959 on Celestial
Mechanics at Georgetown University. In addition, from July 1960 to June 1962 he
completed his MS (Masters of Science) degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics at
MIT, Cambridge Massachusetts. He also completed Command and Staff School in the
period from September 1955 to June 1956.
Following the large gap in
time, Major McMullen emerges as Lieutenant Colonel McMullen and is informed that
he is relieved from his assignment at Headquarters, Air Proving Ground Center,
Air Force Systems Command, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida and is assigned to
Headquarters, Air Force Special Weapons Center, Air Force Systems Command,
Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico and is to be involved with Air Force
Systems Command project number 3R053. He will continue to work for the Air
Force Special Weapons Center till 27 August 1965. For the time being, he will
have public quarters assigned to him at 2026B Castle Place, Albuquerque, New
Mexico. On 6 January 1965, he is advised that he is to attend the
Executive-Power Seminar on the 28th to the 31st January
1965. There are a multitude of orders that deal with record reviews, physical examinations
and Medical Fitness Programs. The orders carry dates and continue to place
Colonel McMullen at the Air Force Special Weapons Center, Kirtland Air Force
Base.
There is only one
document/letter dated 5 August 1965 that alludes to the colonel’s job
description while stationed at the Air Force Special Weapons Center at Kirtland
Air Force Base. Seems he was currently involved with Development Engineering
but headquarters was planning a reassignment. The letter is written to
Headquarters, 4900th Air Base Group, Air Force Special Weapons
Center, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. In the letter he states that his
“education in astronautics would be largely wasted in an assignment in AFSC
2616.” However, he did “not plan to take additional action that would preclude
my being reassigned.”
Colonel McMullen’s
reassignment followed through. In August 1965 he was assigned to Headquarters,
Office of Aerospace Research, Washington, D.C. as Chief, Physical Sciences
Division, Directorate of Research Programs, DCS/Plans and Programs. In this
capacity he was responsible for the overall Office of Aerospace Research
programs for basic research in the physical sciences. The position called
mandatory MS degree in one of the physical sciences or engineering or a PhD in
physics, chemistry or mathematics. The colonel was a civil engineer and had an
MS in Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Colonel McMullen was
assigned to the Office of Aerospace Research, Washington, D.C. by the end of
August 1965. There were no other orders following until 16 May 1966 where he
receives notice that he is being relocated to the Architect’s Building, 1400
Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Virginia, 22209. His duty station prior to the move
was Tempo D Building, 4th & Independence Ave., SW., Washington, D.C.,
20333. Colonel McMullen held a Top Secret security clearance and was involved
in classified projects. There are orders which place him on TDY (Temporary
Duty) that state that he:
“will proceed at such time as may be necessary during
the period
(from date to
date), both dates inclusive from Arlington, Va.,
to such places as may be necessary within the
continental US, on
TDY in support of OAR (Office Aerospace Research) research
programs, and upon completion of each mission return
to
Arlington, Va. … Individuals are cleared for access to
classified
material (as indicated above) for the period and
purpose of
this order.”
The rear of the orders
gave the officer instructions on what to do, while on TDY, in case of limited
war or mobilization and how to travel and the type of housing to be used which
would meet security requirements. The orders have him going to locations at
Cambridge, Massachusetts, Towson, Maryland, and Wright-Patterson Air Force
Base, Ohio. There were probably other locations but the ones listed were the
only ones directly or indirectly mentioned within the documents of the estate
collection. In addition, there are orders requiring him to keep up to date with
annual requirements for small arms firing.
At this point, Colonel
McMullen’s US Air Force career heads toward closure. On 31 October 1967,
Colonel McMullen is appointed to the OAR Command Equipment Management Team
(CEMT). An official memo appears dated 13 May 1968 in which he requests early
retirement effective 1 November 1968. It seems the request was disapproved.
During the course of his tenure with the OAR, the colonel’s AFSC changes and ho
hold multiples AFSC’s in 2711, 2716, 2816 and 2845A. However, his official
title upon retirement is Headquarters, Office of Aerospace Research, Chief,
Engineering Sciences Division, Directorate of Research Programs. Though his
initial request to retire appeared to have been dissaproved, his retirement
processing was scheduled on 5 November 1968. The processing date was followed
by a terminal leave after which he retired on 1 January 1969.
During World War II,
Colonel McMullen was awarded the Air Medal. He was authorized to wear the Air
Force Outstanding Unit Award which was presented to the Office of Aerospace
Research for accomplishments during the period of 1 April 1964 to 31 March
1966.
Following his retirement,
Colonel McMullen lived in Arlington, Texas but worked in Dallas, Texas. He
started working for LTV Aerospace Corporation in Dallas, Texas as Project
Engineer in Applied Research and Development. Because of a conflict of
interest, he had to state that LTV had no current contracts with the OAR and
the only completed contracts were under Project 8803 which were monitored by
the Air Force Weapons Laboratory. He planned on going back to school, starting
31 August 1970, and attaining a PhD from the University of Dallas in Irving,
Texas but it is not clear if he completed his degree and, if so, what area of
study. Colonel McMullen died February 11, 1989 and is buried in the National
Cemetery at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas with his father, Major General
Clements McMullen, USAF.