Basic Airman to General: The Secret War & Other Conflicts

General ''Pete'' Piotrowski

Xlibris Corporation, 2014 - Biography & Autobiography - 718 pages

This book covers the remarkable success of a first-generation Polish kid who, at the age of eighteen, enlisted in the United States Air Force during the Korean War. He was one of less than a handful of basic airmen who rose to the rank of four-star general. More importantly, it covers the reincarnation of WW II Air Commandos under the code name of Jungle Jim, as well as US combat air operations from 1961 through 1967 flying obsolete B-26s and the newest jet fighter, the F-4D. Then airman Piotrowski qualified for aviation cadet training and earned his first wings as a navigator and electronic warfare officer (EWO). Following assignments in Korea and Japan, he returned to the United States for pilot training ranking number one in his class and qualifying for jet fighters. He was selected for Project Jungle Jim and became a leading air force expert in conventional weapons and tactics. His flying ability, combat experience, and tactical expertise led to his assignment at the Air Force Top Gun School to instruct air force generals headed for Vietnam on conventional weapons and tactics. Following school and staff assignments, he was selected to command the Fortieth Tactical Group, Aviano, Italy. He led the group for three years, receiving a rating as "Best Wing in the USAF." Following Aviano, he was a special assistant to, and troubleshooter for, General Jones, air force chief. Shortly thereafter, he was selected to build the 552nd AWAC equipped with the E-3A aircraft and bring it to combat status. Next, he commanded Air Defense TAC, where he was selected to review the Desert One failure with five other officers. He provided inside information on how the rescue attempt in Iran unraveled. On another special assignment, he was sent to Saudi Arabia as a special advisor to the Saudi chief of the defense staff with the mission to improve Saudi Air Defense. Following that, then major general Piotrowski went to Oman with a diplomatic portfolio to forge an agreement with the Omni government on joint military training of US and Omani forces. Subsequently, he was assigned to the Tactical Air Command as the director of operations and vice commander. Here he grappled with a number of aircraft-related problems and brought the stealth fighter into the operational inventory. Next, he commanded Ninth Air Force with twelve subordinate wings with roughly one thousand fighter aircraft assigned, with responsibilities for air warfare in support of ground forces in the Middle East. On one of his many visits to Sudan, he stopped an invasion from Ethiopia in one day. He was promoted to the rank of general to serve as the vice chief of the air force. Here he revealed how the JCS operates, as well as inside information on the capture of the Achille Lauro hijackers and the punitive raid on Libya. His last assignment was commanding the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and the United States Space Command (USSPACECOM), where he had the opportunity to host and brief senior military members of the Soviet Union and People's Republic of China.

Contents

• Dedication: 7
• The Early Years: 11
• The Mysterious Far East: 44
• On to Pilot Training: 66
• Jungle Jim: 127
• Fighter Weapons School: 222
• Armed Forces Staff College and the Pentagon: 257
• England and Europe: 284
• Fortieth Tactical Group Aviano Italy: 313
• The SixMan Group: 368
• Keesler Technical Training Center: 403
• AWACS and the E3A: 421
• Air Defense TAC ADTAC: 482
• TAC Deputy Commander for Operations: 537
• Ninth Air Force: 567
• Air Force Vice Chief: 623
• CINC NORAD and USSPACECOM: 660
• Lessons in Leadership and Life Summary: 707
• Addendum: 711

About the author

General Piotrowski attended Henry Ford Trade School, where he earned his apprenticeship as a toolmaker and world-class draftsman, and a high school diploma in June 1952. He stayed on at the Ford Rouge Plant in Detroit, Michigan, as a draftsman working on projects for the Korean War. On his eighteenth birthday, he left Ford, registered for the draft, and found employment designing fixtures for the B-52 bomber. In September 1952, he enlisted in the USAF and was sent to Keesler AFB for electronics and ground radar training. While in school, he was accepted into the Aviation Cadet Program, graduating as a second lieutenant with the silver wings of a navigator and electronics warfare officer (EWO). His first operational assignment was to the Sixty-Seventh Tactical Recce Wing flying RB-26s from Korea and Japan. While in Japan, he participated in the filming of Sayonara starring Marlon Brando and James Garner. In 1957, he returned to the United States for pilot training, graduating number in his class and qualifying for jet fighter training in the storied F-86F. He also participated in the filming of The Hunters, a Korean War film starring Robert Mitchum and Robert Wagner. He volunteered for a clandestine assignment with Jungle Jim, which led to three combat tours in Vietnam flying AT-28s, B-26s, and F-4Ds. Following several staff and command assignments, he was promoted to general to serve as the air force vice chief of staff and subsequently commander of NORAD and US Space Command. During his service, he lived in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, South Vietnam, England, Germany, Italy, Saudi Arabia, and Oman. He also traveled extensively throughout the fourteen NATO nations, as well as Africa, Canada, Mexico, and Sweden. After mandatory retirement at thirty-eight years of service, he started his own consulting business in aerospace and management. Some of his clients included Lawrence Livermore, Los Alamos, Sandia National Labs, and the USAF Directed Energy Lab. Industrial clients included General Electric, Lockheed, Raytheon, Rockwell, and TRW. While consulting for Systems Planning and Analysis, he was pivotal in convincing the chief of naval operations to modify Aegis ships to perform Ballistic Missile Defense role. He also became an avid outdoorsman as a fly fisherman and hunter. He fished in the Rockies and Alaska. He hunted big game throughout North America, Mexico, and Scotland, plus two safaris to Africa. The general and his wife of fifty-two years now enjoy recapturing their life's adventures as they catalogue them in story and film. emsp;

Bibliographic information

• Title: Basic Airman to General: The Secret War & Other Conflicts
• Author: General ''Pete'' Piotrowski
• Publisher: Xlibris Corporation, 2014
• ISBN: 1493161865, 9781493161867
• Length: 718 pages
• Subjects: Biography & Autobiography / General