Francis W. Nye facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Francis W. Nye
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| Birth name | Francis Walter Nye |
| Born | June 29, 1918 Barton, Vermont, U.S. |
| Died | January 13, 2019 (aged 100) Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S. |
| Buried |
Santa Fe National Cemetery
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| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/ |
United States Air Force |
| Years of service | 1941–1972 |
| Rank | Major General |
| Commands held |
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| Battles/wars |
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Francis Walter Nye (born June 29, 1918 – died January 13, 2019) was an important United States Air Force officer. He reached the rank of Major General. He was a skilled pilot who flew combat missions in B-24 Liberator and B-29 Superfortress planes. Later in his career, he led the Field Command, Defense Atomic Support Agency, located at Sandia Base in New Mexico.
Contents
His Early Life and Military Career
Francis Nye finished school at Barton Academy (Vermont) in 1936. He then went to the University of Vermont, graduating in 1941 with a science degree. After college, he joined the United States Army Air Corps as a flight cadet, which is like a trainee pilot.
In February 1942, he completed his flight training. He became a second lieutenant, which is a junior officer rank.
Flying in World War II
From 1942 to April 1943, Francis Nye flew 36 combat missions. He flew these missions with the 98th Bombardment Group. His bases were in places like Palestine, Egypt, and North Africa. He piloted both B-17 and B-24 planes.
In April 1943, Nye returned to the United States. He then joined the B-29 aircraft program. He started as a test pilot at the Boeing factory in Wichita, Kansas.
His B-29 crew was formed in Salina, Kansas. They were given a B-29 plane named "Kickapoo II." Captain Nye had previously flown 36 missions in a B-24 named "Kickapoo."
On April 4, 1944, Nye's crew was among the first to fly from Salina to Kharagpur, India. They made stops in Presque Isle, Maine; Marrakech, Morocco; Cairo, Egypt; and Karachi, India.
Important Missions
Nye's crew flew several "over-the-hump" missions. These were flights over mountains to Pengshan A-7, a forward base in China.
They also flew the first B-29 mission from Kharagpur to Bangkok, Thailand, on June 5, 1944. Just ten days later, on June 15, 1944, they flew the first B-29 mission from Pengshan A-7 to Yawata, Japan.
On June 20, 1944, Nye became the assistant operations officer for the 468th Bombardment Group. In August 1944, he flew the longest B-29 mission of World War II. This flight was over 4,000 miles to Palembang, Sumatra. He flew this mission when another pilot became sick.
Nye completed 11 combat missions with the 468th Bombardment Group. These missions were in the China-Burma-India Theater. He finished World War II on Tinian Island as the group operations officer.
After World War II
In September 1946, he started working as a professor. He taught air science and tactics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. This was part of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps program.
Later Military Service
During the Korean War, Francis Nye flew 19 combat missions. He was part of the 22d Bombardment Wing.
After the Korean War, he worked at SAC Headquarters. He also attended the Air War College. From 1957 onwards, Nye took on leadership roles. He commanded various military organizations.
He also worked at the Pentagon, which is the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Defense. He was involved in planning and policy. In November 1968, he became the chairman of the U.S. delegation for several defense boards. These included the Inter-American Defense Board.
In July 1969, General Nye became the deputy director of plans. Later, he was assigned as the commander of the Field Command, Defense Atomic Support Agency. This agency was located at Sandia Base in New Mexico.
Personal Life and Passing
Francis Walter Nye was born on June 29, 1918, in Barton, Vermont. His parents were Percy and Clara Murphy Nye. His wife, Nina, passed away in 2017. Francis Nye lived to be 100 years old. He died in January 2019.
Awards and Decorations
General Nye received many military awards for his service. These included:
Legion of Merit (with an oak leaf cluster, meaning he received it twice)
Distinguished Flying Cross (with an oak leaf cluster, meaning he received it twice)
Bronze Star (with an oak leaf cluster)
Air Medal (with three oak leaf clusters)
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Distinguished Unit Citation (with three oak leaf clusters)
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
