Major General Allison C. Brooks

US Air Force Military Biographies, Annual, 2004

MAJOR GENERAL ALLISON C. BROOKS

Retired July 1, 1971.

Maj. Gen. Allison C. Brooks is deputy director for inspection services, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Administration), Washington, D.C.

General Brooks was born in Pittsburgh, Pa., in 1917. He attended high school in Pasadena, Calif., and earned is bachelor of science degree from the University of California, Berkeley, Calif., in 1938. He enlisted a year later as an aviation cadet in the Army Air Corps, and graduated from Kelly Field in 1940 with a commission as second lieutenant and his pilot wings.

His first assignment after graduation was as an instructor with the Air Training Command at Randolph Field, Texas. In 1943 he went overseas to the European Theater of Operations as operations officer of the 401st Bombardment Group. In July 19 he was assigned as executive officer and later as commander of the 1st Air Division Fighter Scouting Force which flew P-51 aircraft. During World War II he flew 65 combat missions for a total of 310 hours in the B-17 and P-51 aircraft. He participated in the campaigns of Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; and Central Europe.

General Brooks is a graduate of the Air Command and Staff School and has served as an instructor in air operations at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. In 1951 he returned to Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., as a student in the Air War College.

General Brooks has been assigned to various units of the Military Airlift Command since June 1952 with the exception of a one-year tour of duty from January 1964 to March 1965, in Southeast Asia as deputy commander, 2nd Air Division.

In June 1952 he was assigned as operations staff officer, 1300th Air Base Wing, at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. He was assigned duties as deputy commander, 1602nd Air Transport Wing, Furstenfeldbruck Air Base, Germany, in September 1952. In July 1955 he assumed command of the 1602nd Air Transport Wing.

He returned to the United States in September 1955 and was assigned to Headquarters Military Airlift Command, Andrews Air Force Base, Md., as chief, manpower and organization, and in June 1957, he assumed duties as assistant deputy chief of staff for operations. In August 1960 General Brooks was reassigned as commander, 62nd Troop Carrier Wing, McChord Air Force Base, Wash. In January 1964 he went to Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Republic of Vietnam, as deputy commander, 2nd Air Division. During his tour of duty in Southeast Asia, he flew 31 missions in combat support operations.

In March 1965 he assumed command of the Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service (Military Airlift Command) with headquarters at Orlando Air Force Base, Fla. The headquarters was transferred to Scott Air Force Base, Ill., in 1968.

General Brooks assumed duty as deputy director for inspection services, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Administration), Washington, D.C., in April 1970.

His military decorations include the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with eight oak leaf clusters, Soldier's Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon, and French Croix de Guerre. He is a command pilot.

General Brooks was promoted to the temporary grade of major general effective Feb. 24, 1970, with date of rank Aug. 10, 1965.

(Current as of May 15, 1970)