Harold Mark McClelland | |
|---|---|
 McClelland c. 1940s | |
| Born | November 4, 1893 Tiffin, Iowa |
| Died | November 19, 1965 (aged 72)[1] Washington, D.C. |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service | U.S. Army Air Service U.S. Army Air Corps U.S. Army Air Forces United States Air Force Central Intelligence Agency |
| Years of service | 1917–1951 |
| Rank | Major general |
| Commands | 19th Bombardment Group Rockwell Field Airways and Air Communications Service |
| Battles / wars | World War II |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit Commander of the Order of the British Empire |
| Alma mater | Kansas State Agricultural College |
Harold Mark McClelland (November 4, 1893 – November 19, 1965)[2] was a United States Air Force (USAF) major general who is considered the father of Air Force communications.[3] He founded and led the 19th Bombardment Group in the early 1930s, commanded Rockwell Field for a year then was groomed for higher leadership, becoming the inspector for the General Headquarters Air Force (GHQ) in 1937.
Between 1934 and 1938, McClelland researched the technical and logistical aspects of long-range air communications, an effort which resulted in the establishment of the Army Airways Communications System.[3] Following this, he worked in the Operations and Training Division of the War Department General Staff, and served as chief of the Aviation division.
During World War II, McClelland organized the largest communications system the world had yet seen.[4] McClelland, rated a command pilot, served as the chief of communications for the Central Intelligence Agency in the early 1950s.[4]
In the USAF, an award is given annually in McClelland's name, for excellence in large unit communications.[5]
- ^ Arlington National Cemetery. "Harold Mark McClelland, Major General, United States Air Force." Retrieved on November 16, 2009.
- ^ "Major General Harold M. McClelland". Biography. USAF. Retrieved June 25, 2014.. Retrieved on November 15, 2009.
- ^ a b Air Force Network Integration Center. "Foundation Setters". Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on November 15, 2009.
- ^ a b Montague, Ludwell Lee. General Walter Bedell Smith as director of central intelligence, October 1950 – February 1953, p. 100. Penn State Press, 1992. ISBN 0-271-00750-8
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
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