Lieutenant General David J. McCloud

Lieutenant General David J. McCloud. . , General McCloud's untimely death on 26 July 1998, ended a remarkable and promising career that began when he graduated number one in his class from Officer Training School in 1969. Upon graduation from flight school, he served as an F-106 and F-4 pilot, before being assigned to the 57th Tactical Training Wing at Nellis AFB, Nevada, in October 1976. His experience with the aggressor squadrons there prepared him for a subsequent career in the testing and development of the Air Force's most advanced fighters. From November 1981 to August 1985, General McCloud worked in the Special Projects Office, Headquarters, USAF, on the secret development of the F-117 and other highly classified projects. Later, he served as an F-117 pilot and Assistant Deputy Commander for Operations with the 4450th Tactical Group at Tonopah Test Range, Nevada. In August 1987 he became the Director of Advance Programs for the Tactical Air Command, overseeing the development and fielding of highly sensitive cutting edge technology. General McCloud became a wing commander in June 1990, and commanded in succession the 24th Composite Wing at Howard AFB, Panama, the 1st Tactical Fighter Wing at Langley AFB, Virginia, and the 366th Wing at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho. In August 1994, he became the Director of Operational Requirements, Headquarters, USAF. From there, he became the Director of Force Structure on the Joint Chiefs of Staff joint staff in May 1996, before assuming his Alaskan duties December 1997. His wife, Anna Marie, and two children, Scott David McCloud and Robyn McCloud Springer, survived him.