Walter, Alonzo J., Jr.

“Alonzo Walter graduated from Castle Heights Military Academy, and attended Virginia Military Institute, graduating in the class of 1949B, as a Second Lieutenant in the US Air Force. He won his pilot wings at Randolph AFB, TX.

Gen. Walter was an F-86 fighter pilot in the Korean War, flying 48 combat missions, and from there was stationed at Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, obtaining his masters degree in electrical engineering.

Among his proudest career accomplishments were testing the precursor to the SR-71, and commanding the 31st TFW at Homestead AFB FL flying the F-4 Phantom II. Upon his selection to promotion to Brigadier General on 1 July 1974, he became the first graduate of the VMI Air Force ROTC program to be so honored. He served two overseas staff tours at PACAF headquarters and Headquarters US European Command, and served a tour in Viet Nam as a Forward Air Controller.

General Walter’s USAF career spanned 30 years.” (1)

“Walter was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General on 1 July 1974, with date of rank 26 June 1974, and is the first AFROTC graduate of the Virginia Military Institute to be so honored. On 10 September of that same year, his daughter, Terry Lee Walter, was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. When she retired on 1 January 2010, Lieutenant General Terry Lee Walter Gabreski was the U.S. Air Force’s highest-ranking active-duty woman. [Honoree Record ID 229635]

Second, when Walter was flying combat missions in the Korean War, he flew as a wingman for the famous WWII and Korean War ace, Gabby Gabreski [Honoree Record ID 229364]. In 1989, his daughter Terry Lee Walter, then a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force, married USAF Lt. Col. Donald Francis Gabreski, son of Gabby Gabreski. It truly is a small world.”(1)

Source (1); (2) https://militaryhallofhonor.com/honoree-record.php?id=229636