Retired July 31, 1987.  

General Earl T. O'Loughlin is commander of Air Force Logistics Command, with headquarters at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The command mission is to provide worldwide technical logistics support to all Air Force active and reserve force activities, military assistance program countries and designated U.S. government agencies.

General O'Loughlin was born in 1930, in Bay City, Mich. He graduated from high school in East Tawas, Mich., in 1948 and from Bay City Junior College in 1951. Later he received his bachelor's degree from Park College, Kansas City, Mo. General O'Loughlin completed Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., and the Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pa.

His military career began as an enlisted airman in February 1951. He became an aviation cadet and upon graduation from pilot training in June 1952 was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. He completed B-29 combat crew training at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, and Forbes Air Force Base, Kan., in January 1953. General O'Loughlin was then assigned to the 98th Bombardment Wing at Yokota Air Base, Japan. From there he flew 29 combat missions and 224 combat hours in B-29s over North Korea.

After returning to the United States in August 1953, General O'Loughlin was assigned to the 26th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Lockbourne Air Force Base, Ohio, where he qualified in RB-47E's. From 1953 to 1963, he served at Lockbourne Air Force Base as an aircraft commander, instructor pilot, standardization evaluator and squadron operations officer for RB-47E's and B-47E's.

Following graduation from the Air Command and Staff College in June 1964, he served as a B-52 aircraft commander and instructor pilot with the 379th Bombardment Wing at Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Mich. From 1965 to 1968, he was chief of the Programs and Scheduling Branch for the 379th Bombardment Wing. In January 1968 General O'Loughlin was assigned as B-52 Arc Light air operations officer with the U.S. Military Assistance Command, Saigon, J-3, Republic of Vietnam, and in January 1969 he returned to Wurtsmith Air Force Base as commander of the 379th Organizational Maintenance Squadron. From January 1970 to November 1971, he was assistant deputy commander for maintenance and then deputy commander for maintenance with the 379th Bombardment Wing.

From November 1971 to August 1972, General O'Loughlin was assigned to Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., as chief of the Maintenance Management Division. He then entered the Army War College and after graduation in June 1973, he became vice commander of the 97th Bombardment Wing, Blytheville Air Force Base, Ark. Later he was commander of the KC-135-equipped 31Oth Provisional Wing (Young Tiger) at U-Tapao Royal Thai Naval Airfield, Thailand.

He returned to the United States in April 1974 to command the 380th Bombardment Wing at Plattsburgh Air Force Base, N.Y. During his assignment the FB-111/KC-135 wing received the Fairchild Trophy as the best bombardment wing in the annual bombing and navigation competition.

The general was deputy for maintenance, engineering and supply in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Systems and Logistics at Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington D.C., from July 1975 to June 1977. He then became vice commander of the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla.

He was named deputy chief of staff for contracting and manufacturing at Air Force Logistics Command headquarters in December 1978 and was assigned as deputy chief of staff for maintenance there in June 1979. Transferring to Kelly Air Force Base, Texas, in March 1981, General O'Loughlin served as commander of the San Antonio Air Logistics Center. In July 1982 he was named vice commander of Air Force Logistics Command and assumed his present command in September 1984.

General O'Loughlin is a command pilot with more than 6,000 flying hours. His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal and Air Force Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters.

He was promoted to general Nov. 1, 1984, with same date of rank.

(Current as of December 1984)