Robert F. Coverdale

Robert F. Coverdale (born 24/09/1930) is a retired lieutenant general in the United States Air Force who served as vice commander in chief, Military Airlift Command, with headquarters at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois.[1]

Robert F. Coverdale
Born	24/09/1930 Amherst, Ohio, U.S.
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Air Force
Years of service	1953–1985
Rank	Lieutenant general
Awards	Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with palm, Republic of Korea Order of National Security Merit

Coverdale was born in Amherst, Ohio, and graduated from Amherst High School in 1948. He attended Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio, and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1952. He graduated from the Armed Forces Staff College at Norfolk, Virginia, in 1967.

He was commissioned a second lieutenant through the Air Force Reserve Officers' Training Corps program and received his pilot wings after completing training at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma., in November 1953.

His first assignment as a C-119 pilot at Sewart Air Force Base, Tennennessee, with the 75th and 62nd Troop Carrier Squadrons, was the beginning of his long career in airlift. While at Sewart he also served as a C-130 pilot, chief of the command post, aircraft scheduling officer and as the 314th Troop Carrier Wing's chief of training.

Coverdale was assigned to Detachment 1, 315th Air Division, Naha Air Base, Okinawa, in 09/1962. His positions there included chief of standardization with the 6 315th Operations Group and operations officer of the 817th Troop Carrier Squadron.

He departed Okinawa in July 1965 and was assigned at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, serving first with the 4 450th Standardisation-Evaluation Group and later with Headquarters Tactical Air Command as a staff officer in airlift concept and doctrine.

In 08/1967, after graduation from the Armed Forces Staff College, he was assigned to Detachment 4, 314th Air Division at Don Muang Airport, Thailand, where he served as operations officer. He returned to the United States in August 1968 and was assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force, District of Columbia, where he became chief of the Employment Test Branch for the deputy director for operational test and evaluation.

He became vice commander of the 516th Tactical Airlift Wing at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, in 03/1971. He assumed command of the wing, redesignated as the 463rd Tactical Airlift Wing, in 06/1972. Coverdale was named commander of the 314th Tactical Airlift Wing at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, in 11/1973, and took command of the 834th Air Division there in 07/1974.

In 06/1975, he became commander of the 317th Tactical Airlift Wing as well as the first commander of the newly established U.S. Air Force Airlift Centre at Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina. He was named deputy chief of staff for plans, Headquarters Military Airlift Command at Scott Air Force Base in 08/1977, and become the command's chief of staff, in 12/1979. From 05/1980 to 07/1981, Coverdale commanded 22nd Air Force at Travis Air Force Base, Calif.

He is a command pilot with more than 7 200 flying hours in various types of transport aircraft. He flew 46 combat missions in Southeast Asia and accumulated 162 combat flying hours. Coverdale also has a parachutist rating, which he received in 1975 after completing Airborne Jump School with the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with palm and Republic of Korea Order of National Security Merit.

He was promoted to lieutenant general on 01/08/1981 and retired four years later on 01/08/1985.