Skip to content

This Day in History – June 10, 1969 – The X-15 gets a place in history

10 June 1969: The U.S. Air Force donated the first North American Aviation X-15, serial number 56-6670, to the Smithsonian Institution for display at the National Air and Space Museum. The first of three X-15A hypersonic research rocketplanes built by North American for the Air Force and the National Advisory Committee (NACA, the predecessor of NASA), 56-6670 made the first glide flight and

Read More »
Main Menu
  • Home
  • History
    • About The SSS
    • Headed West
    • Biographies
    • Today in F-100 History
    • SSS Caterpillar
    • Wall of Honor
    • F-100 Information
    • Friends of the Super Sabre
    • N. American F-100 Super Sabre
  • Galleries
  • The Intake
    • About The Intake: Journal
    • The Intake: Journal of the Super Sabre Society – Archives
  • What’s New
  • Contact

Lynch, William B.

  • Home
  • Biography
  • Biographies
  • Lynch, William B.

William B. Lynch

Preferred Name: Bill
Date of Birth: January 10, 1943
Highest Military Grade: 0-8 – Major General
Hometown: Hazleton, PA
William B. Lynch - before
Biography
Pilot Information
Album
Video

General William Lynch was born in New York City on January 10, 1943. A 1964 graduate of Brown University, he received his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree in 1976 from Ohio Northern University.

General Lynch began his Air Force career in 1965. After Officer Training School, he completed Pilot Training and was assigned as a pilot the RF-4 Phantom. He has completed Air Command and Staff College, Air War College, and the National War College in residence.

In 1968, General Lynch was assigned to the 432nd Reconnaissance Wing, Udorn, Thailand. After 100 combat missions over North Vietnam, he was reassigned to the 10th TRW, RAF Alconbury RAF, England.

In January 1972, he was a flight commander in the 178th Tactical Fighter Group, Ohio Air National Guard, flying the F-100. In 1979, he was assigned to the 27th Tactical Fighter Wing, Cannon AFB, New Mexico, as an F-111D instructor pilot, flight commander and squadron operations officer.

In 1981, he became the Air Force Advisor to the 180th Tactical Fighter Group, Ohio Air National Guard. His duties included A-7 instructor pilot and standardization/evaluation flight examiner. He remained there until January 1984, when he transferred to the 112th Tactical Fighter Group, Pennsylvania Air National Guard, as Deputy Commander for Operations. In October 1988, General Lynch took the position as Chief, Current Operations Branch, at the Air National Guard Support Center. In this position, he was responsible for the day-to-day flying activities for each of the 91 Air National Guard flying units.

After graduating from the National War College in 1990, General Lynch returned to the National Guard Bureau as Chief of Operations Division. During Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, he was responsible for operational tasking of all 91 flying, and 244 support units in the Air National Guard. In April 1991, General Lynch returned to Pittsburgh as Deputy Commander for Operations of the 171st Air Refueling Wing, Pennsylvania Air National Guard.

He served as commander of the 171st Air Refueling Wing from January 1993 until July 1995. He was appointed Deputy Adjutant General-Air on July 1, 1995, and was promoted to the rank of Major General on August 2, 1996.

Prior to retirement, Bill Lynch was the Adjutant General for Pennsylvania. In this State cabinet-level position General Lynch was was responsible for command, control, and supervision of all Air and Army National Guard units allocated to the State of Pennsylvania. He was also responsible for five state-owned Veterans’ Homes, Scotland School for veterans’ children, and programs for Pennsylvania’s 1.3 million veterans.

A command pilot with over 5,000 flying hours, General Lynch has flown the T-37, T-33, F-100, RF-4, F-111, A-7, KC-135, and EC-130. The recipient of several Top Gun awards, he also completed 100 reconnaissance missions over North Vietnam in the RF-4C.

General Lynch’s military awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with nine oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with one oak leaf cluster, Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with one oak leaf cluster, Combat Readiness Medal with seven oak leaf clusters, National Defense Service Medal with one Bronze Star, Vietnam Service Medal with two Bronze Stars, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with palm device, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Parachutist Badge, General Stewart Award and General White Award.

In addition to his many military awards, Gen. Lynch was elected to Law Review and received a writing award from the National War College. He served as chairman of the Air Reserve Forces Policy Committee, was Vice President-Air of the National Guard Association of the United States, and serves on the board of the Pennsylvania National Guard Foundation, Bill was also a member of the Ohio and Federal Bar.

General Lynch is married to the former Kathleen A. Killmeyer.

Units Assigned

  • 1965-1966 UPT Craig AFB
  • 1966-1968 22nd TRS Mt. Home AFB (RF-4C)
  • 1968 11th TRS Udorn RTAFB (RF-4C, AC: 100 Missions North Viet Nam)
  • 1968-1972 1st TRS RAF Alconbury, UK  (RF-4C, IP)
  • 1973-1979 178th Tactical Fighter Group, Flt Cmdr, Ohio ANG, Springfield, OH (F-100)
  • 1979-1981  524th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Cannon AFB, F-111, IP
  •  1981-1984 180th Tactical Fighter Group, AF Advisor, Ohio ANG, Toledo, OH  (A-7D)
  • 1984-1988 112th Tactical Fighter Group, DCO, PA ANG, Pittsburgh PA (A-7D)
  • 1988-1989 National Guard Bureau, Chief Current Ops Branch, Washington, DC
  • 1989-1990 National War College, Ft. McNair, Washington, DC
    National Guard Bureau, D.C. Chief Operations Division, Washington, DC
  • 1991-1993 171st ARW, DCO,  PA ANG, Pittsburgh PA (KC-135)
  • 1993-1995 171st ARW, Commander, PA ANG, Pittsburgh PA (KC-135)
  • 1995-1999 Dep. Adjutant General, Air, PA National Guard Headquarters
  • 1999-2004 The Adjutant General, PA National Guard Headquarters

Awards & Decorations

Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal
Legion Of Merit
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Award
Meritorious Service Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Air Medal
Air Medal with 9 Oak Leaf Clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Presidential Unit Citation
Presidential Unit Citation
AF Outstanding Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Oak Leaf Cluster
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with Oak Leaf Cluster
Combat Readiness Medal
Combat Readiness Medal with 7 Oak Leaf Clusters
National Defense Service Medal
National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star
Vietnam Service Medal
Vietnam Service Medal with 2 Bronze Stars
1920px Humanitarian Service Medal Ribbon.svg
Humanitarian Service Medal
Air Force Overseas Ribbon Long Tour
Air Force Overseas Ribbon (Long Tour)
Air Force Longevity Service Award (AFLSA)
Air Force Longevity Service Award with 6 Oak Leaf Clusters
Armed Forces Reserve Medal (AFResM)
Armed Forces Reserve Medal
Small Arms Marksmanship Ribbon (SAEMR)
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon (AFTR)
Air Force Training Ribbon
RVN Gallantry Cross With Palm
Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm
Vietnam Campaign Medal
Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
US Army Airborne Basic Parachutist Badge
Parachutist Badge
GeneralThomasStewartAward
General Stewart Award
White Block For Award Placeholder
General White Award

Flight Info

T-37
T-33
F-100
F/RF-4C
F-111
A-7 D
KC-135
EC-130

1968-100 Missions North Viet Nam: 1968, RF-C
Command Pilot: 5000+ hours

Military & Civilian Education

Military Education:

  • 1974 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
  • 1982 Air War College, by correspondence
  • 1990 National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, DC

Civilian Education:

  • 1964 BA/American literature, Brown University, RI
  • 1976 Juris doctor degree, Ohio Northern University, College of Law

Lynch, Bill
Album Slideshow
Slideshow
Click To View

Wall of Honor Location

Bill Lynch – AOPA Live Video Gallery

Our Mission

The mission of the Super Sabre Society is to preserve the history of the F-100 Super Sabre and the men who flew the aircraft.

Follow Us

Copyright © 2025 Super Sabre Society
Website by: Heart and Soul Web Design
Scroll to Top