Carl Andrew Spaatz (born Spatz; 28 June 1891 – 14 July 1974), nicknamed "Tooey", was an American World War II general. As commander of Strategic Air Forces in Europe in 1944, he successfully pressed for the bombing of the enemy's oil production facilities as a priority over other targets. He became Chief of Staff of the newly formed United States Air Force in 1947.
Early life
Carl Andrew Spatz was born on 28 June 1891, in Boyertown, Pennsylvania, to Anna Amelia (née Muntz) and Charles Busch Spatz. Spaatz had an older sister Flora (1889–1971).
Of German ancestry, in 1937 Spaatz legally added the second "a" to his surname at the request of his wife and three daughters to clarify the pronunciation of the name, as many pronounced it "spats".
His father was a state senator who ran a printing shop and a small newspaper, The Berks County Democrat, which he published from 1904 to 1930. While a student his son worked as a linotype operator.
thumb|left|150px|At West Point in 1914
Using his influence his father was able to obtain a West Point appointment for his son. He graduated as a second lieutenant of Infantry on 12 June 1914, ranked 57th out of a class of 107.
Spaatz served in California and Texas and became assistant department air service officer for the Western Department in July 1919. Spaatz experienced the chaotic ups and downs in rank common to Regular officers in 1920, when the National Defense Act of 1920 reorganized the military. He first reverted to his permanent rank of captain of Infantry on 27 February 1920. On 1 July, when the Air Service became a combatant arm of the line, he transferred to the Air Service as a captain, then was promoted to major on the same date by virtue of a provision in the National Defense Act that allowed officers who earned their rank in service with the AEF to retain it. This made him senior to a number of officers, including Henry H. Arnold (his superior at the time), with greater longevity of service. On 18 December 1922, Spaatz was discharged when Congress set a new ceiling on the number of majors authorized for the Air Service, and reappointed as a captain, then promoted again to major on 1 February 1923.
As a major, Spaatz commanded Kelly Field, Texas, from 5 October 1920, to February 1921, served at Fort Sam Houston as air officer of the Eighth Corps Area until November 1921, and was commanding officer of the 1st Pursuit Group, first at Ellington Field, Texas, and later at Selfridge Field, Michigan, until 24 September 1924. He graduated from the Air Corps Tactical School, Langley Field, Virginia, in June 1925, and then served in the Office of the Chief of Air Corps at Washington, D.C. Later that year he testified for the defence at the court-martial of Colonel Billy Mitchell.
thumb|285px|The Question Mark being refueled by a [[Douglas C-1]]
From 1 to 7 January 1929, Spaatz along with fellow Air Corps officers, Captain Ira Eaker and Lieutenant Elwood Quesada, both of whom would later become senior United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) generals, established an aviation record by keeping the airplane Question Mark in the air over the Los Angeles vicinity for over 150 hours. For his efforts he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. |salign= right |source= biographer David R. Mets
thumb|upright|Generals Arnold, Spaatz, and Vandenberg at decoration ceremonies held in Luxembourg City on 7 April 1945
As commander of Strategic Air Forces, Spaatz directed the United States portion of the strategic bombing campaign against Germany, directing the Eighth Air Force, which was then commanded by Lieutenant General Jimmy Doolittle, based in England, and the Fifteenth Air Force, which was now commanded by Lieutenant General Nathan Twining, based in Italy.
As the commander of Strategic Air Forces in Europe, Spaatz was under the direct command of General Dwight Eisenhower. In March 1944, Spaatz proposed the Oil Plan for bombing, and in June 1944 during the Operation Crossbow priority bombing of V-1 sites aimed at the UK, Spaatz advocated, and received authorization from Eisenhower for, bombing of those targets at a lower priority. Spaatz also identified that "...the chimera of one air operation that will end the war...does not exist", and Since then, only 2,280 cadets have received this honor nationwide (as of February 2022).
Later life
In July 1945, President Harry S. Truman nominated Spaatz for promotion to the permanent rank of general. Spaatz succeeded Arnold as Commanding General of the Army Air Forces on 11 February 1946. After the creation of the independent Air Force by the National Security Act of 1947 and Truman's Executive Order No. 9877, Spaatz was appointed as the first Chief of Staff of the new United States Air Force in September 1947. and worked for Newsweek magazine as military affairs editor until 1961. He also served on the Committee of Senior Advisors to the Air Force Chief of Staff from 1952 until his death; and was the first President of the Air Force Historical Foundation during 1953. In 1954, Spaatz was appointed to the congressional advisory board set up to determine the site for the new United States Air Force Academy.
Spaatz died at the Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, D.C., on 14 July 1974, from congestive heart failure. and later married British intelligence officer Walter Bell (diplomat) in 1948. She died in 2005. Rebecca married Emmet B. Gresham, Jr. (25 March 1923 – 25 February 1954) on 13 February 1943. Following his death Rebecca married Steven P. Nagel.
Carla married Francis D. Thomas Jr. at Fort Myer on 4 April 1951.
Legacy
- Spaatz Island in Antarctica is named for Spaatz, who provided an airplane used in its discovery.
- The Civil Air Patrol's highest cadet award is the General Carl A. Spaatz Award.
- In 1977, Spaatz was inducted into the International Air & Space Hall of Fame.
- Since 1984 Carl Andrew Spaatz Field has been the name for Reading Regional Airport in Pennsylvania which serves Reading, Pennsylvania. It is also home to the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum.
- Carl A. Spaatz Center for Officer Education, Air University (AU) at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.
- Spaatz is chosen as the class exemplar for the United States Air Force Academy's Class of 2006.
- National Museum of the United States Air Force is located at 1100 Spaatz Street on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
- General Spaatz Boulevard is located adjacent to Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) in Sarasota, Florida, intersecting Tamiami Trail / US 41.
- The Outstanding Air Refueling Squadron in the USAF is annually awarded the Gen Carl A. Spaatz Trophy.
- The Air Force Historical Foundation's highest recognition for individual contribution to the making of Air Force history is the General Carl "Tooey" Spaatz Award
- In 2002 he was inducted into the Airlift/Tanker Association Hall of Fame.
- A section of Pennsylvania Route 562 in Berks County from the intersection with State Route 73 in the borough of Boyertown to the intersection with State Route 662 at the township line between Amity Township and Oley Township was on 28 June 2018, named the General Carl A. Spaatz Memorial Highway in his honor.
- The General Carl Spaatz National USAAF Museum on General Spaatz Avenue in Boyertown, Pennsylvania is named after him. The museum opened on 2 October 2021.
- Spaatz was portrayed by Stephen Roberts in the 1955 film The Court Martial of Billy Mitchell and by Don Fellows in the 1979 television miniseries Ike: The War Years.
Awards and decorations
<small>Source: USAF Historical Study 91: Biographical Data on Air Force General Officers, 1917–1952, Vol. II, "L-Z"</small>
120px Command pilot<br>
120px Junior Military Aviator<br>
120px Combat Observer
{|
|
|Distinguished Service Cross
|-
|
|Distinguished Service Medal (with three oak leaf clusters)
|-
|}
Spaatz also received the Collier Trophy for 1944 for "demonstrating the air power concept through employment of American aviation in the war against Germany."
Distinguished Service Cross citation
;Citation:
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, 9 July 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Major (Air Service) Carl Andrew Spatz (ASN: 0–3706), United States Army Air Service, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 13th Aero Squadron, U.S. Army Air Service, A.E.F., during the St. Mihiel offensive, 26 September 1918. Although he had received orders to go to the United States, Major Spatz begged for and received permission to serve with a pursuit squadron at the front. Subordinating himself to men of lower rank, he was attached to a squadron as a pilot and saw continuous and arduous service through the offensive. As a result of his efficient work he was promoted to the position of night commander. Knowing that another attack was to take place in the vicinity of Verdun, he remained on duty in order to take part. On the day of the attack west of the Meuse, while with his patrol over enemy lines, a number of enemy aircraft were encountered. In the combat that followed he succeeded in bringing down three enemy planes. In his ardor and enthusiasm he became separated from his patrol while following another enemy far beyond the lines. His gasoline giving out, he was forced to land and managed to land within friendly territory. Through these acts he became an inspiration and example to all men with whom he was associated.
- General Orders: War Department, General Orders No. 123 (1918)
- Action Date: 26 September 1918
- Service: Air Service
- Rank: Major
- Company: 13th Aero Squadron
- Division: American Expeditionary Forces
Dates of rank
{| class="wikitable"
! Insignia !! Rank !! Component !! Date
|-
|No insignia
|Cadet || United States Military Academy || 1 March 1910
|-
|No insignia in 1914
|Second Lieutenant || Regular Army || 12 June 1914
|-
|13px|center
| First Lieutenant || Regular Army || 1 July 1916
|-
|33px|center
| Captain || Regular Army || 15 May 1917
|-
|40px|center
| Major || National Army || 17 June 1918
|-
|33px|center
| Captain || Regular Army || 27 February 1920
|-
|40px|center
| Major || Regular Army || 1 July 1920
|-
|33px|center
| Captain || Regular Army || 18 December 1922
|-
|40px|center
| Major || Regular Army || 1 February 1923
|-
|40px|center
| Lieutenant Colonel || Regular Army || 16 September 1935
|-
|60px|center
| Colonel || Temporary || 7 November 1939
|-
|33px|center
| Brigadier General || Temporary || 2 October 1940
|-
|66px|center
| Major General || Army of the United States || 28 January 1942
|-
|60px|center
| Colonel || Regular Army || 17 September 1942
|-
|100px|center
| Lieutenant General || Army of the United States || 12 March 1943
|-
|33px|center
| Brigadier General || Regular Army || 1 September 1943
|-
|66px|center
| Major General || Regular Army || 5 October 1944
|-
|133px|center
| General || Army of the United States || 11 March 1945
|-
|133px|center
| General || United States Air Force || 18 September 1947
|-
|133px|center
| General || U.S. Air Force, Retired || 30 June 1948
|}<nowiki> </nowiki>
References
External links
- Generals of World War II
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