“Carl Schneider was born in Ralls, Texas, in 1928. He attended Texas Technological College for one year prior to entering the U.S. Army Air Forces in September 1946. He has a bachelor of science degree in business management from Arizona State University and a master’s degree in international relations from The George Washington University. He graduated from the Air War College in 1967.
Following basic military training at Lackland Field, Texas, he graduated from the Remote Control Turret Mechanics School at Lowry Field, Colo. He began aviation cadet training at Randolph Field, Texas, in June 1947, and graduated from advanced pilot training in P-51 aircraft at Williams Air Force Base, Ariz., in June 1948, with a commission as a second lieutenant.
His first flying assignment was as a P-84 pilot with the 20th Fighter Group. In September 1949 General Schneider was assigned to the 51st Fighter Group, Naha Air Base, Okinawa, as an F-80 pilot and as squadron adjutant. During the Korean War, he went with the 51st Group to Itazuke Air Base, Japan, and Kimpo Air Base, Korea, and completed 100 combat missions.
In May 1951 he reported to Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., as an F-80 gunnery instructor and in June 1951 was transferred to Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., to teach air combat tactics in the F-86 aircraft. In June 1952 he was selected to help organize a fighter gunnery school at Pinecastle (later McCoy) Air Force Base, Fla. During this assignment, he completed Squadron Officer School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. In February 1953 he was selected to help organize a gunnery school at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas. He served there until June 1956 as a flight commander, squadron operations officer, and group operations officer. During this tour, he completed the Fighter Weapons Instructor School at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
General Schneider attended the Marine Corps School from August 1955 to June 1956. He next was assigned to the 36th Fighter-Day Wing at Bitburg Air Base, Germany, as operations officer and F-100 pilot. He returned from Germany in September 1959 to attend the Advanced Management Course at the University of Texas, under the Air Force Institute of Technology program. In September 1960 he went to Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., where he was an F-100 squadron commander.
In July 1962 General Schneider went to Vietnam. As one of the first U.S. Air Force officers assigned to the 2d Air Division, he helped establish a forward air control/air liaison officer program, working and flying with the Republic of Vietnam Air Force.
General Schneider returned to the United States and, in September 1963, entered Arizona State University where he received his bachelor of science degree in 1964, and was selected as the outstanding management graduate. He is a member of the Delta Sigma Pi, Sigma Iota Epsilon, and Beta Gamma Sigma (equivalent to Phi Beta Kappa). In June 1964 he returned to Luke Air Force Base, again as a fighter squadron commander.
He became the Tactical Air Control Party commander with the 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kan., in June 1965. In September 1965 he was selected to help establish the F-4 replacement training unit program in the 15th Tactical Fighter Wing at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. He attended the Air War College from September 1966 to June 1967, and completed work for his master’s degree.
General Schneider next served as executive officer to the assistant secretary of the Air Force (financial management). In May 1969 he was assigned as deputy commander for operations for the 3550th Pilot Training Wing at Moody Air Force Base, Ga., and served as commander from December 1970 to November 1971.
His next assignment was as vice commander, 314th Air Division, Osan Air Base, Korea. General Schneider became assistant chief of staff, operations (J-3), United Nations Command/United States Forces Korea, and director, United States/Republic of Korea Operational Planning Staff, with headquarters at Seoul, Korea, in April 1972. He assumed duties as vice commander, Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, Robins Air Force Base, Ga., in September 1974. He became commander of the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center in March 1976. General Schneider began his current assignment Dec. 5, 1977.
He was a command pilot. His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, the Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal with six oak leaf clusters, and the Air Force Commendation Medal.”
Source: https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/105674/major-general-carl-g-schneider/
Carl G. Schneider, MGen, USAF, Ret., “Headed West” on April 20, 2023.
Carl G. Schneider, Major General, USAF, (Ret) died unexpectedly in Williamson County, Tennessee, on April 20, 2023, at age 95. om in Ralls, Texas, on March 6, 1928, to the late Carl Schneider and Laura Kerlin Schneider, he grew up during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl, during which time he decided to become a pilot. Raised on a farm, he and his brother, Clyde, decided that flying would be much more comfortable than picking cotton.
Carl joined the Army Air Corps in September 1946. Following basic training at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas, he entered aviation cadet training in 1947, completed advanced training at Williams AFB in Chandler, Arizona, and was promoted to second lieutenant. He spent most of his 32 years in the United States Air Force as a fighter pilot. Flying more than 30 types of aircraft, he logged over 3,000 hours in combat flying with more than a total of 5,000 hours in jet fighters. This record qualified him as a command pilot, an honor given to astronauts. He graduated from Williams AFB, flying the P-51.
During the Korean War (1950-1951), he flew 100 combat missions in the F-80. He was Ops officer of the 22nd Fighter Squadron at Bitburg A B, Germany, flying F-100s from 1957 to 1959. He returned to Korea in the early 1970s as the Vice Commander of Air Forces Korea. In 1962 and 1963, he established the Air Liaison Officer/Forward Air Controller system in Vietnam, flew combat missions with the Vietnamese Air Force, went on ground missions with the Vietnamese Army, and helped the U.S. Special Forces teams along the Cambodian an Laotian borders. Later in the war, he flew the F-4 Phantom.
He is a graduate of the Squadron Officer’s School, USAF Fighter Weapons School, U.S. Marine Corps Staff College, the Air Force Institute of Technology, and the Air War College. He served in many jet fighter units and was Commander of three F-100 squadrons at Luke AFB in Glendale, Arizona. He was Deputy for Ops when George W. Bush was a student at Moody AFB in Valdosta, Georgia. He served as Logistics Center Commander at Tinker AFB in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and later on was Wing Commander at Moody AFB He earned his undergraduate degree in business management from Arizona State University and received a master’s degree in international relations from George Washington University. Additionally, he took a course in Air Power and Air Warfare at Cambridge University in Cambridge, England.
His awards and decorations include the following: The Distinguished Service Medal, The Legion of Merit with One (1) Oak Leaf Cluster, The Distinguished Flying Cross With One (1) Oak Leaf Cluster, The Meritorious Service Medal, The Air Medal with Six (6) Oak Leaf Clusters, and The Air Force Commendation Medal. Additionally, he was a member of the following organizations: Arizona Aviation Hall of Fame, Arizona Veteran’s Hall of Fame, Commemorative Air Force Museum’s Walk of Honor, Military Officers Association of America, Quiet Birdman Society, Super Sabre Society, Daedalians, Arizona Aviation Historical Society, and Arizona State University College of Business Hall of Fame.
Upon retirement from the Air Force, he pursued a successful career as a business executive in the Phoenix area. In his later years he moved to Thompsons Station, Tennessee, where he was involved in several veteran’s programs, particularly at colleges and universities. General Schneider was a kind, generous man who made friends easily and devoted his life to serving others. He is the author of two books, the first of which was Little House on the High Plains, the story of growing up in the Dust Bowl during the Great Depression. His second book, Jet Pioneer: A Fighter preceded Pilot’s Memoir, is about his military service.
General Schneider is preceded in death is by his about late his wife, Elaine, and sisters Joyce Winn and Grace Winn. He is survived by his wife and best friend, Carole Woods Schneider; son, Robert Schneider; daughter, Debi Furches (Eric); grandson Cory Furches; granddaughter Lindsay Stuart (Ian); stepdaughter, Laura McLeod; as well as his brothers, Clyde Schneider (Martha) and Dr. Finis Schneider (Eunice); sister JoAnn Lamb; many wonderful nieces and nephews; and close family friends, the Eliasons and Wares.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Vietnam Veterans of America (Chapter 240), Delta Sigma Pi, or the Joe Foss Institute at Arizona State University.
A memorial service was held at Williamson Memorial Funeral Home in Franklin, Tennessee, on Monday, June 5th.
For a video of the ceremony go to: https://view.oneroomstreaming.com/index.php?data=MTY4MzU4OTYxMDI1MDE4MiZvbmVyb29tLWFkbWluJmNvcHlfbGluaw==
Source: https://www.williamsonherald.com/obituaries/obituary-carl-g-schneider/article_5a070770-ede0-11ed-8da9-5767b5aaa80c.html