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{{Short description|United States Air Force general (1918–2019)}}
{{Infobox Military Person

|name= Francis Walter Nye
{{Infobox military person
|lived= 1918 -
|name = Francis W. Nye
|placeofbirth= [[Barton, Vermont]]
|birth_name=Francis Walter Nye
|placeofdeath=
|birth_date = {{birth date|1918|6|29}}<ref name="obit">{{Cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/abqjournal/obituary.aspx?n=francis-nye&pid=191262257&referrer=0&preview=false|title=Francis Nye Obituary - Albuquerque, NM &#124; Albuquerque Journal|website=[[Legacy.com]] }}</ref>
|image=
|death_date = {{death date and age|2019|1|13|1918|6|29}}
|caption=
|birth_place = [[Barton, Vermont]], U.S.
|nickname=
|death_place = [[Albuquerque]], [[New Mexico]], U.S.
|branch= [[United States Air Force|USAF]]
|placeofburial= [[Santa Fe National Cemetery]]<ref name="obit" />
|serviceyears= 1941 - 1972
|image = Maj Gen Francis Walter Nye.jpg
|rank= [[Major General]]
|image_size = 250
|commands= Defense Atomic Support Agency
|caption =
|unit=
|nickname =
|battles= [[World War II]]-[[Pacific War|Pacific Theatre]]<br>[[Korean War]]
|awards=[[Legion of Merit]] (2)<br>[[Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)|Distinguished Flying Cross]] (2)
|allegiance = [[United States|United States of America]]
|branch = [[United States Air Force]]
|laterwork=
|serviceyears = 1941–1972
|rank = [[Major general (United States)|Major General]]
|commands =
{{plainlist|
*1969: [[Sandia Base#The Armed Forces Special Weapons Project and its successors|Field Command, DASA]]
*1966: [[Fairchild Air Force Base|18th Strategic Aerospace Division]]
*1959: [[28th Bomb Wing]]
}}
|unit =
|battles =
{{plainlist|
* [[World War II]]
* [[Korean War]]
}}
|awards =
{{plainlist|
*[[Legion of Merit]] (2)
*[[Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)|Distinguished Flying Cross]] (2)
}}
|laterwork =
}}
}}
'''Francis Walter Nye''' (born [[1918]]) was a major general in the US Air Force. He became commander of Field Command, [[Defense Atomic Support Agency]], [[Sandia Base]], Albuquerque, New Mexico.


'''Francis Walter Nye''' (June 29, 1918 – January 13, 2019) was a [[United States Air Force]] major general who was a [[B-24 Liberator]] and [[B-29 Superfortress]] combat pilot. He was commander, Field Command, Defense Atomic Support Agency, [[Sandia Base]], New Mexico.
Nye was born in 1918, in [[Barton, Vermont]]. He graduated from [[Barton Academy (Vermont)|Barton Academy]] high school in 1936. He graduated from the [[University of Vermont]] with a [[bachelor of science]] degree, in June 1941. He joined the Army Air Corps as an aviation cadet. In February 1942 completed flying training and was commissioned a second lieutenant.


== Education and career ==
During the early part of World War II, he served as a [[B-24]] aircraft pilot with the 98th Bombardment Group, Ninth Air Force, operating from Palestine, Egypt and North Africa. He returned to the United States in April 1943, after flying 36 missions with the 98th Bombardment Group.
Nye graduated from [[Barton Academy (Vermont)]] (1936) and the [[University of Vermont]] ([[BSc]], 1941). He enlisted as [[United States Army Air Corps|Army Air Corps]] [[flight cadet]] after graduation.<ref name=c180620>{{Cite news | first=Maddy | last=Hayden | title=Former Barton man to turn 100 | newspaper=The Chronicle | location=Barton, Vermont | pages= 1A | date=July 18, 2018 }}</ref> In February 1942, he completed flight training and was commissioned a [[second lieutenant]]. Through April 1943, he flew 36 missions with the [[98th Bombardment Group]] from bases in [[Palestine (region)|Palestine]], [[Egypt]], and [[North Africa]]. He flew [[B-17]]s, and [[B-24]]s.<ref name=c1>{{Cite news | first=Maddy | last=Hayden | title=Former Barton man to turn 100 | newspaper=The Chronicle | location=Barton, Vermont | pages= 14A | date=June 20, 2018}}</ref> Nye returned to the United States in April 1943 and, in September, entered the [[B-29]] aircraft program, first as an acceptance test pilot at the [[Boeing]] plant in [[Wichita, Kansas]].


Nye's crew was formed at [[Salina, Kansas]], and assigned B-29 serial # 42-6232 in April 1944. This aircraft was named "Kickapoo II." Captain Nye had finished a tour of duty previously with 36 missions in a B-24's named "Kickapoo" in the [[Mediterranean Theater of Operations]]. Nye was Aircraft Commander of an original crew that departed from Salina on April 4, 1944, for [[Kharagpur]], India, and was one of the first to leave Salina, and arrive at Kharagpur, with stops in [[Presque Isle, Maine]]; [[Marrakech]], Morocco; [[Cairo]], Egypt; and [[Karachi]], India. This crew flew several "operational" over-the-hump missions to [[Pengshan Air Base#History|Pengshan A-7]], the forward base in China. This crew flew the first mission by B-29's to [[Bangkok]], Thailand from Kharagpur (June 5, 1944), and the first mission from Pengshan A-7 to [[Bombing of Yawata (June 1944)|Yawata, Japan]] on June 15, 1944.
In September 1943 he entered the [[B-29]] aircraft program first as an acceptance test pilot at the Boeing Company plant in Wichita, Kansas, and then with the 468th Bombardment Group, [[Salina, Kansas]]. He went with the 468th Bombardment Group to the China-Burma-India Theater and flew 11 combat missions in B-29s. In May 1945 he went with the group to [[Tinian Island]] and from there to [[Roswell, New Mexico]].


On June 20, 1944, Nye was ordered to the [[468th Bombardment Group]] as assistant [[Operations (military staff)|S-3]] (deputy group operations officer). In August 1944, Nye flew the longest B-29 mission (over {{convert|4000|miles}}) in World War II by any type of aircraft to [[Palembang]], Sumatra, from a forward base at [[China Bay]], Ceylon. Nye flew this mission while substituting for a pilot who had become ill. Nye flew 11 combat missions with the 468th Bombardment Group in the [[China-Burma-India Theater]]. In May 1945, he went with the 468 BG to [[Tinian Island]] and then to [[Roswell, New Mexico]]. Nye finished World War II on Tinian as group operations officer.
In September 1946 Nye was selected to train the Air Force [[Reserve Officers Training Corps]] students at the [[University of Massachusetts]] as professor of air science and tactics.


In September 1946, he began duty as a [[Reserve Officers Training Corps]] professor of air science and tactics at the [[University of Massachusetts Amherst]].
During the [[Korean War]], he went with the 22nd Bombardment Wing to [[Korea]]. He flew 19 combat missions.


He was assigned to [[Strategic Air Command]] Headquarters at [[Offutt Air Force Base]], Nebraska, in May 1953. From July 1956 to June 1957, he attended the Air War College at [[Maxwell Air Force Base]], Alabama.
Nye flew 19 [[Korean War]] combat missions with the [[22d Bombardment Wing]]. Following an assignment to [[Offutt Air Force Base|SAC Headquarters]] in May 1953 and attending the [[Air War College]] (July 1956-June 1957), Nye became a commander of various military organizations.


He also served as chairman of the Rated Personnel Requirements and Allocations Committee at [[the Pentagon]] and was appointed deputy director for plans and policy in the [[Directorate of Plans]] in August 1968. In November 1968, he was appointed chairman of the U.S. delegation of the [[Inter-American Defense Board]], the Joint Brazil-U.S. Defense Commission, and the U.S. section, Joint Mexican-U.S. Defense Commission. In July 1969, General Nye became deputy director of plans.{{Clarify|of what?|date=April 2008}} Nye was later assigned as commander, Field Command, Defense Atomic Support Agency, Sandia Base, New Mexico.
In July 1959, he was appointed commander of the 28th Bombardment Wing at [[Ellsworth Air Force Base]], South Dakota.


==Personal life, family, and death ==
In April 1966 he became commander of the Eighteenth Strategic Aerospace Division headquartered at [[Fairchild Air Force Base]], Washington.
He born to Percy and Clara Murphy Nye, in Barton, June 29, 1918.<ref name=c1/>


His wife, Nina, died in 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/abqjournal/obituary.aspx?n=nina-nye&pid=185841771|title=Nina Nye's Obituary on Albuquerque Journal|website=Albuquerque Journal}}</ref> Nye died in January 2019 at the age of 100.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/abqjournal/obituary.aspx?n=francis-nye&pid=191262257&fhid=7154|title=Francis Nye Obituary - Albuquerque, NM &#124; Albuquerque Journal|website=[[Legacy.com]] }}</ref>
He was assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force where he became chairman of the Rated Personnel Requirements and Allocations Committee. He retained this chairmanship when he was appointed deputy director for plans and policy in the Directorate of Plans in August 1968.


==Awards and decorations==
In November 1968, he was appointed chairman of the U.S. delegation of the [[Inter-American Defense Board]], the Joint Brazil-U.S. Defense Commission, and the U.S. section, Joint Mexican-U.S. Defense Commission. In July 1969 General Nye became deputy director of plans.
His military decorations included the [[Legion of Merit]] with oak leaf cluster, [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)|Distinguished Flying Cross]] with oak leaf cluster, [[Bronze Star Medal|Bronze Star]] with oak leaf cluster, [[Air Medal]] with three oak leaf clusters, [[Joint Service Commendation Medal]], [[Air Force Commendation Medal]], [[Distinguished Unit Citation]] Emblem with three oak leaf clusters, and [[Air Force Outstanding Unit Award]] Ribbon.


*[[File:Legion of Merit ribbon.svg|60px]]&nbsp;&nbsp;[[Legion of Merit]]
In October 1969, General Nye was assigned as commander, Field Command, Defense Atomic Support Agency, Sandia Base, New Mexico.
*[[File:Distinguished Flying Cross ribbon.svg|60px]]&nbsp;&nbsp;[[Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)|Distinguished Flying Cross]] with oak leaf cluster
*[[File:Bronze Star ribbon.svg|60px]]&nbsp;&nbsp;[[Bronze Star Medal|Bronze Star]] with oak leaf cluster
*[[File:Air Medal ribbon.svg|60px]]&nbsp;&nbsp;[[Air Medal]] with three oak leaf clusters
*[[File:Joint Service Commendation Medal ribbon.svg|60px]]&nbsp;&nbsp;[[Commendation Medal|Joint Service Commendation Medal]]
*[[File:Air Force Commendation ribbon.svg|60px]]&nbsp;&nbsp;[[Commendation Medal|Air Force Commendation Medal]]
*[[File:United States Army and U.S. Air Force Presidential Unit Citation ribbon.svg|60px]]&nbsp;&nbsp;[[Distinguished Unit Citation]] with three oak leaf clusters
*[[File:Outstanding Unit ribbon.svg|60px]]&nbsp;&nbsp;[[Air Force Outstanding Unit Award]]


==References==
His military decorations included the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Distinguished Unit Citation Emblem with three oak leaf clusters, and Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Ribbon.
{{Reflist}}

{{Portal|Biography}}
He was married to Maureen.
{{USGovernment|url=http://www.af.mil/bios/bio.asp?bioID=6628|agency=United States Air Force}}

Somehow a rumor was started that he died in 2006. That isn't true. He is still alive and doing very well.


==External links==
==External links==
*{{find a Grave|196051120}}
{{USGovernment|sourceURL=[http://www.af.mil/bios/bio.asp?bioID=6628]}}

{{Authority control}}


{{USAF-bio-stub|Nye, Francis}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nye, Francis W}}
[[Category:1918 births|Nye, Francis]]
[[Category:1918 births]]
[[Category:Living people|Nye, Francis]]
[[Category:2019 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Vermont|Nye, Francis W.]]
[[Category:People from Barton, Vermont]]
[[Category:American World War II pilots|Nye, Francis W.]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Vermont]]
[[Category:American military personnel of the Korean War|Nye, Francis]]
[[Category:University of Vermont alumni]]
[[Category:United States Army Air Forces bomber pilots of World War II]]
[[Category:Barton, Vermont|Nye, Francis]]
[[Category:United States Air Force generals|Nye, Francis]]
[[Category:American men centenarians]]
[[Category:University of Vermont alumni|Nye, Francis]]
[[Category:United States Air Force personnel of the Korean War]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit|Nye, Francis]]
[[Category:American Korean War bomber pilots]]
[[Category:Recipients of US Distinguished Flying Cross|Nye, Francis W.]]
[[Category:United States Air Force generals]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Air Medal]]
[[Category:United States Army Air Forces officers]]
[[Category:Burials at Santa Fe National Cemetery]]

Latest revision as of 06:04, 31 August 2024

Francis W. Nye
Birth nameFrancis Walter Nye
Born(1918-06-29)June 29, 1918[1]
Barton, Vermont, U.S.
DiedJanuary 13, 2019(2019-01-13) (aged 100)
Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.
Buried
Santa Fe National Cemetery[1]
AllegianceUnited States of America
Service / branchUnited States Air Force
Years of service1941–1972
RankMajor General
Commands
Battles / wars
Awards

Francis Walter Nye (June 29, 1918 – January 13, 2019) was a United States Air Force major general who was a B-24 Liberator and B-29 Superfortress combat pilot. He was commander, Field Command, Defense Atomic Support Agency, Sandia Base, New Mexico.

Education and career

[edit]

Nye graduated from Barton Academy (Vermont) (1936) and the University of Vermont (BSc, 1941). He enlisted as Army Air Corps flight cadet after graduation.[2] In February 1942, he completed flight training and was commissioned a second lieutenant. Through April 1943, he flew 36 missions with the 98th Bombardment Group from bases in Palestine, Egypt, and North Africa. He flew B-17s, and B-24s.[3] Nye returned to the United States in April 1943 and, in September, entered the B-29 aircraft program, first as an acceptance test pilot at the Boeing plant in Wichita, Kansas.

Nye's crew was formed at Salina, Kansas, and assigned B-29 serial # 42-6232 in April 1944. This aircraft was named "Kickapoo II." Captain Nye had finished a tour of duty previously with 36 missions in a B-24's named "Kickapoo" in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations. Nye was Aircraft Commander of an original crew that departed from Salina on April 4, 1944, for Kharagpur, India, and was one of the first to leave Salina, and arrive at Kharagpur, with stops in Presque Isle, Maine; Marrakech, Morocco; Cairo, Egypt; and Karachi, India. This crew flew several "operational" over-the-hump missions to Pengshan A-7, the forward base in China. This crew flew the first mission by B-29's to Bangkok, Thailand from Kharagpur (June 5, 1944), and the first mission from Pengshan A-7 to Yawata, Japan on June 15, 1944.

On June 20, 1944, Nye was ordered to the 468th Bombardment Group as assistant S-3 (deputy group operations officer). In August 1944, Nye flew the longest B-29 mission (over 4,000 miles (6,400 km)) in World War II by any type of aircraft to Palembang, Sumatra, from a forward base at China Bay, Ceylon. Nye flew this mission while substituting for a pilot who had become ill. Nye flew 11 combat missions with the 468th Bombardment Group in the China-Burma-India Theater. In May 1945, he went with the 468 BG to Tinian Island and then to Roswell, New Mexico. Nye finished World War II on Tinian as group operations officer.

In September 1946, he began duty as a Reserve Officers Training Corps professor of air science and tactics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Nye flew 19 Korean War combat missions with the 22d Bombardment Wing. Following an assignment to SAC Headquarters in May 1953 and attending the Air War College (July 1956-June 1957), Nye became a commander of various military organizations.

He also served as chairman of the Rated Personnel Requirements and Allocations Committee at the Pentagon and was appointed deputy director for plans and policy in the Directorate of Plans in August 1968. In November 1968, he was appointed chairman of the U.S. delegation of the Inter-American Defense Board, the Joint Brazil-U.S. Defense Commission, and the U.S. section, Joint Mexican-U.S. Defense Commission. In July 1969, General Nye became deputy director of plans.[clarification needed] Nye was later assigned as commander, Field Command, Defense Atomic Support Agency, Sandia Base, New Mexico.

Personal life, family, and death

[edit]

He born to Percy and Clara Murphy Nye, in Barton, June 29, 1918.[3]

His wife, Nina, died in 2017.[4] Nye died in January 2019 at the age of 100.[5]

Awards and decorations

[edit]

His military decorations included the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star with oak leaf cluster, Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Distinguished Unit Citation Emblem with three oak leaf clusters, and Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Ribbon.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Francis Nye Obituary - Albuquerque, NM | Albuquerque Journal". Legacy.com.
  2. ^ Hayden, Maddy (July 18, 2018). "Former Barton man to turn 100". The Chronicle. Barton, Vermont. pp. 1A.
  3. ^ a b Hayden, Maddy (June 20, 2018). "Former Barton man to turn 100". The Chronicle. Barton, Vermont. pp. 14A.
  4. ^ "Nina Nye's Obituary on Albuquerque Journal". Albuquerque Journal.
  5. ^ "Francis Nye Obituary - Albuquerque, NM | Albuquerque Journal". Legacy.com.

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Air Force

[edit]
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