Donald S. Snyder
Preferred Name: Don
Nickname/Call Sign: Misty A-2
Date of Birth: January 26, 1936
Highest Military Grade Held: Lieutenant General
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
Biography
General Snyder received his commission through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program and entered active duty in July 1957. General Snyder completed pilot training in September 1958 at Vance Air Force Base, Okla. In August 1959, after fighter training in F-100 Supersabres at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., and Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., he was assigned to the 12th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 18th Tactical Fighter Wing, Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, and flew F-100s.
The general returned to the United States in March 1962 and served as an F-100 instructor, weapons officer, and standardization and evaluation officer with the 430th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 474th Tactical Fighter Wing, Cannon Air Force Base, N.M. During this tour of duty, he also attended fighter weapons school at Nellis Air Force Base and earned Jump Wings at Fort Benning, Ga. In addition, he deployed to Europe, then Asia. He served at Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, in late 1962, and in 1965, became an air adviser and forward air controller with the South Vietnam forces in Quan Tri. General Snyder was assigned to Luke Air Force Base as an F-100 instructor in September 1965.
After completing Air Command and Staff College in August 1967, he returned to Southeast Asia and served as an F-100 instructor, weapons officer and flight commander. Shot down by ground fire in North Vietnam in December 1967, he was rescued and then hospitalized at Valley Forge, Pa., until May 1968. He returned to Luke Air Force Base to help develop the F-104 Fighter Weapons School for German air force and navy pilots. From February 1971 to July 1972 General Snyder was assigned to the Defense Special Projects Group (sensor program) in Washington, D.C. He was later transferred to the Tactical Fighter Weapons Center, Nellis Air Force Base, as a test project manager working A-7 software, the YF-16 and YF-17 and numerous other tests.
In February 1974 General Snyder was selected for special assignment to the U.S. element of the Central Treaty Organization, Ankara, Turkey. After completing the Army War College in August 1977, he returned to Luke Air Force Base and served with the 58th Tactical Training Wing, first as deputy commander for operations, F-5 and F-104, then as deputy commander for operations, F-4 and F-104. In August 1979 he became wing vice commander. He served as an instructor in all phases of F-104 student and fighter weapons instructor training.
General Snyder assumed command of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, in March 1981 and led the unit’s conversion from F-4Ds to F-16s. The “Wolfpack” was the first overseas U.S. Air Force wing equipped With F-16s. In July 1982 he became assistant deputy chief of staff for operations, Pacific Air Forces headquarters. The general assumed command of the 313th Air Division, Kadena Air Base, in July 1985. In September 1986 he was assigned as vice commander, 12th Air Force, Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas. He became commander of 13th Air Force, Clark Air Base, Philippines, in July 1987. In January 1990 General Snyder became deputy chief of staff for operations, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. In July 1990 he was assigned as deputy commander in chief and chief of staff, U.S. Special Operations Command. In May 1991 he became Vice commander, Headquarters Tactical Air Command at Langley Air Force Base, VA. The command comprises more than 101,000 active military and civilian personnel stationed at 300 separate locations in 20 different countries. Tactical Air Command is also the gaining organization for 86,000 Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve personnel throughout the United States.(1)
Lieutenant General Donald Snyder retired from the USAF in July of 1992.
(1) Source: Https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/105559/lieutenant-general-donald-snyder/
Units Assigned
9/1958-8/1959 RTU Luke AFB, AZ/Nellis AFB, NV
8/1959-3/1962 12th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Kadena AFB, Japan
1962-9/1965 430th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Cannon AFB, NM
9/1965-12/1967 4510th Combat Crew Training Wing, Luke AFB, AZ
12/1967 Misty Pilot, Phu Cat AB, Vietnam (shot down 30 Dec 67 on my only Misty mission)
12/1967-5/1968 Hospitalized at Valley Forge, PA
2/1971-7/1972 Defense Special Projects Group (sensor program), Washington, DC
1972-1973 Tactical Fighter Weapons Center, Nellis AFB, NV
2/1974-1975 Special assignment to the U.S. element of the Central Treaty Organization, Ankara, Turkey.
1975-8/1077 Army War College
8/1977-3/1981 58th Tactical Training Wing, Luke Air Force Base, AZ (F-5, F-104)
8/ 1979 Wing vice commander, Luke AFB, AZ (F-4, F-104)
3/1981=7/1982 8th Tactical Fighter Wing “Wolfpack), Kunsan Air Base, South Korea (F-4D F-16)
7/ 1982-7/1985 Assistant deputy chief of staff for operations, Pacific Air Forces headquarters.
7/1985-9/1986 313th Air Division, Kadena Air Base, Thailand
9/1986-9/1987 12th Air Force, Bergstrom Air Force Base, TX
7/1987-1/1990 13th Air Force, Clark Air Base, Philippines
1/1990-7/1990 Deputy chief of staff for operations, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, HI
7/1990-7/1991 Deputy commander in chief and chief of staff, U.S. Special Operations Command. Lieutenant
7/1991-7/1992 Commander, Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley Air Force Base, VA
7/1992 Retired from USAF
Awards & Decorations
Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit (with 2 oak leaf clusters)
Distinguished Flying Cross
Bronze Star Medal
Purple Heart
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (with oak leaf cluster)
Air Medal (with 12 oak leaf clusters)
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (with 2 oak leaf clusters)
Vietnam Service Medal (with 3 service stars)
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm
Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Republic of Korea Order of the Security Merit SAMIL Medal
Japan’s Order of the Rising Sun
Philippines’ Legion of Honor (Degree of Commander).
Flight Info
T-33
O-1
F-100
F-104
F-4
F-5
F-15
F-16
Military Education
1967 Command and Staff College
1977 Army War College
Civilian Education
1957 BS/Agricultural Engineering, Penn State University
1976 MS/Public Administration, Shippensburg State College, PA
1982 Institute of Management, Northwestern University
source: By 1st Lt. Malisa Silassy, CAP, Patch Poster | Jun 27, 2016 8:44 pm ET | Updated Jun 27, 2016 8:45 pm ET[/image_with_text]
- Biography
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Biography
General Snyder received his commission through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program and entered active duty in July 1957. General Snyder completed pilot training in September 1958 at Vance Air Force Base, Okla. In August 1959, after fighter training in F-100 Supersabres at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., and Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., he was assigned to the 12th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 18th Tactical Fighter Wing, Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, and flew F-100s.
The general returned to the United States in March 1962 and served as an F-100 instructor, weapons officer, and standardization and evaluation officer with the 430th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 474th Tactical Fighter Wing, Cannon Air Force Base, N.M. During this tour of duty, he also attended fighter weapons school at Nellis Air Force Base and earned Jump Wings at Fort Benning, Ga. In addition, he deployed to Europe, then Asia. He served at Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, in late 1962, and in 1965, became an air adviser and forward air controller with the South Vietnam forces in Quan Tri. General Snyder was assigned to Luke Air Force Base as an F-100 instructor in September 1965.
After completing Air Command and Staff College in August 1967, he returned to Southeast Asia and served as an F-100 instructor, weapons officer and flight commander. Shot down by ground fire in North Vietnam in December 1967, he was rescued and then hospitalized at Valley Forge, Pa., until May 1968. He returned to Luke Air Force Base to help develop the F-104 Fighter Weapons School for German air force and navy pilots. From February 1971 to July 1972 General Snyder was assigned to the Defense Special Projects Group (sensor program) in Washington, D.C. He was later transferred to the Tactical Fighter Weapons Center, Nellis Air Force Base, as a test project manager working A-7 software, the YF-16 and YF-17 and numerous other tests.
In February 1974 General Snyder was selected for special assignment to the U.S. element of the Central Treaty Organization, Ankara, Turkey. After completing the Army War College in August 1977, he returned to Luke Air Force Base and served with the 58th Tactical Training Wing, first as deputy commander for operations, F-5 and F-104, then as deputy commander for operations, F-4 and F-104. In August 1979 he became wing vice commander. He served as an instructor in all phases of F-104 student and fighter weapons instructor training.
General Snyder assumed command of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, in March 1981 and led the unit’s conversion from F-4Ds to F-16s. The “Wolfpack” was the first overseas U.S. Air Force wing equipped With F-16s. In July 1982 he became assistant deputy chief of staff for operations, Pacific Air Forces headquarters. The general assumed command of the 313th Air Division, Kadena Air Base, in July 1985. In September 1986 he was assigned as vice commander, 12th Air Force, Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas. He became commander of 13th Air Force, Clark Air Base, Philippines, in July 1987. In January 1990 General Snyder became deputy chief of staff for operations, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. In July 1990 he was assigned as deputy commander in chief and chief of staff, U.S. Special Operations Command. In May 1991 he became Vice commander, Headquarters Tactical Air Command at Langley Air Force Base, VA. The command comprises more than 101,000 active military and civilian personnel stationed at 300 separate locations in 20 different countries. Tactical Air Command is also the gaining organization for 86,000 Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve personnel throughout the United States.(1)
Lieutenant General Donald Snyder retired from the USAF in July of 1992.
(1) Source: Https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/105559/lieutenant-general-donald-snyder/ - Units - Education - Awards - Flight Info
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Units Assigned
9/1958-8/1959 RTU Luke AFB, AZ/Nellis AFB, NV
8/1959-3/1962 12th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Kadena AFB, Japan
1962-9/1965 430th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Cannon AFB, NM
9/1965-12/1967 4510th Combat Crew Training Wing, Luke AFB, AZ
12/1967 Misty Pilot, Phu Cat AB, Vietnam (shot down 30 Dec 67 on my only Misty mission)
12/1967-5/1968 Hospitalized at Valley Forge, PA
2/1971-7/1972 Defense Special Projects Group (sensor program), Washington, DC
1972-1973 Tactical Fighter Weapons Center, Nellis AFB, NV
2/1974-1975 Special assignment to the U.S. element of the Central Treaty Organization, Ankara, Turkey.
1975-8/1077 Army War College
8/1977-3/1981 58th Tactical Training Wing, Luke Air Force Base, AZ (F-5, F-104)
8/ 1979 Wing vice commander, Luke AFB, AZ (F-4, F-104)
3/1981=7/1982 8th Tactical Fighter Wing “Wolfpack), Kunsan Air Base, South Korea (F-4D F-16)
7/ 1982-7/1985 Assistant deputy chief of staff for operations, Pacific Air Forces headquarters.
7/1985-9/1986 313th Air Division, Kadena Air Base, Thailand
9/1986-9/1987 12th Air Force, Bergstrom Air Force Base, TX
7/1987-1/1990 13th Air Force, Clark Air Base, Philippines
1/1990-7/1990 Deputy chief of staff for operations, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, HI
7/1990-7/1991 Deputy commander in chief and chief of staff, U.S. Special Operations Command. Lieutenant
7/1991-7/1992 Commander, Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley Air Force Base, VA
7/1992 Retired from USAFAwards & Decorations
Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit (with 2 oak leaf clusters)
Distinguished Flying Cross
Bronze Star Medal
Purple Heart
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (with oak leaf cluster)
Air Medal (with 12 oak leaf clusters)
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (with 2 oak leaf clusters)
Vietnam Service Medal (with 3 service stars)
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm
Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Republic of Korea Order of the Security Merit SAMIL Medal
Japan’s Order of the Rising Sun
Philippines’ Legion of Honor (Degree of Commander).Flight Info
T-33
O-1
F-100
F-104
F-4
F-5
F-15
F-16Military Education
1967 Command and Staff College
1977 Army War CollegeCivilian Education
1957 BS/Agricultural Engineering, Penn State University
1976 MS/Public Administration, Shippensburg State College, PA
1982 Institute of Management, Northwestern University - Images
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[image_with_text title=”Lt. General Donald Snyder (Ret) gives Local Cadet Prestigious General Carl A. Spaatz Award Washington Composite Squadron 601 Cadet Col Adam Parker the Spaatz Award ” image=”22651″]From left to right: NER Commander Col Daniel Leclair-CAP, C/Col Adam Parker, Retired Lt. General Donald Snyder & PA Wing Commander Col Gary Fleming-CAP
source: By 1st Lt. Malisa Silassy, CAP, Patch Poster | Jun 27, 2016 8:44 pm ET | Updated Jun 27, 2016 8:45 pm ET[/image_with_text]