Major General Ervin C. Sharpe, Jr.

Major General Ervin C. Sharpe, Jr.. . , Major General Sharpe was vice commander, then commander, of the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing at Myrtle Beach Air Force Base during the period of January 1988 to June 1991., During a portion of this time, he deployed with the Wing and A-10 aircraft to the King Fahad International Airport, Saudi Arabia in support of coalition operations to remove Iraqi forces from Kuwait. These operations were known as Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm and constituted a major allied combat war effort. , Under General Sharpe's leadership, the A-10 wing achieved outstanding results in carrying out A-10 combat missions against Iraqi armored forces in Kuwait and Southern Iraq., General Sharpe's other assignments included Commander, Center for Aerospace Doctrine, Research and Education, Maxwell Air Force Base Alabama; Vice Commander 7th Air Force, Osan Air Base, Korea; Director of Operations, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley Air Force Base, Virginia., General Sharpe earned a bachelor's degree in marketing from Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, and a master's degree in aviation management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He is a graduate of the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. The general entered the Air Force in 1967 as a distinguished graduate of Officer Training School, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. He is a command pilot with more than 3,300 flying hours and flew 242 combat missions over Southeast and Southwest Asia., Among his military awards and decorations are the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross, Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Medal with 15 oak leaf clusters, and Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster. , ( adjacent marker ) , Jet Engine Maintenance Shop. , Building 324 once housed the jet engine maintenance function for the tactical aircraft assigned to the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. , Most jet engine maintenance functions could be performed in this shop. These functions were critical to maintaining a high state of readiness for the Wing's combat aircraft., The maintenance and repair work was carried out by highly skilled and technically competent personnel. The jet engine maintenance function also included operation of jet engine test cells which were essential to testing, adjusting and aligning an engine and its associated control systems., At base closure, this facility was transferred to the Horry County Department of Airports.