General of the Air Force Henry H. Arnold |
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![]() General Henry H. Arnold
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Birth name | Henry Harley Arnold |
Nickname(s) | "Hap" |
Born |
Gladwyne, Pennsylvania |
June 25, 1886
Died | January 15, 1950 Sonoma, California |
(aged 63)
Place of burial | Arlington National Cemetery |
Allegiance |
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Service/branch |
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Rank |
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Service number | O-2255 |
Commands held |
![]() Twentieth Air Force 1st Wing, GHQ Air Force |
Battles/wars |
World War I World War II |
Awards |
Army Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit Distinguished Flying Cross Air Medal |
Henry Harley "Hap" Arnold (June 25, 1886 – January 15, 1950) was an American general officer holding the grades of General of the Army and General of the Air Force. Arnold was an aviation pioneer, Chief of the Air Corps (1938–1941), Commanding General of the U.S. Army Air Forces, the only U.S. Air Force general to hold five-star rank, and the only officer to hold a five-star rank in two different U.S. military services. Arnold was also the founder of Project RAND, which evolved into one of the world's largest non-profit global policy think tanks, the RAND Corporation, and one of the founders of Pan American World Airways.
Instructed in flying by the Wright Brothers, Arnold was one of the first military pilots worldwide, and one of the first three rated pilots in the history of the United States Air Force. He overcame a fear of flying that resulted from his experiences with early flight, supervised the expansion of the Air Service during World War I, and became a protégé of Gen. Billy Mitchell.