Arkansas Air & Space Forces Association
Arkansas State Association
David D. Terry Chapter # 253
Jacksonville, AR
Lewis E. Lyle
Chapter # 270
Hot Springs, AR
Arkansas Air & Space Forces Association
MAJOR GENERAL
LEWIS E. LYLE
A native of Pine Bluff, Ark., Major General Lewis E. Lyle, commander of the 818th
Strategic Aerospace Division, Lincoln Air Force Base, Neb., began his military career
in 1938, when after graduation from college he was commissioned a second lieutenant
in the Infantry Reserve.
Full time active duty for the general began in December
1940. He served from then until May 1941 as an officer with an anti-tank company.
His entry into flying came in May 1941 when he was selected for Aviation Cadets.
Graduating
in December 1941, the general was recommissioned and awarded his pilot wings.
Assigned
to the European Theater, he flew 69 combat missions as first pilot in a B-17.
Promoted
to full colonel in January 1945, the general returned to the United States and served
as base commander at McCook, Neb., until 1946 when he spent a year as a student of
the Naval War College, Newport, R.I. in July 1947, he was assigned to the Evaluation
Division of the Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
From that assignment,
he moved to the 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, Barksdale, La. While with the
91st he served, at various times, as maintenance control officer, operations officer,
acting commander and deputy commander. When the wing moved to Lockbourne Air Force
Base, Ohio in September 1951, the general made the move with the wing and retained
his position as deputy commander until October 1952, when he was named Lockbourne
base commander.
In August 1953, he began a year's tour as a student at the Air War
College. Upon graduation, he became chief of staff of the 5th Air Division. This
was followed by assignment to Headquarters Strategic Air Command and a position as
chief of plans in the Directorate of Plans and deputy director of plans for two years.
On July 1, 
1958 he was named commander of the Barksdale-based 4th Air Division and.
on Jan. 1, 1959 he became director of plans for Headquarters Second Air Force, a
position he held until he was named Second Air Force chief of staff on Aug. 21, 1959.
He became a brigadier general on July 21, 1961.
In his present position as commander
of the 818th Strategic Aerospace Division, General Lyle's realm of responsibility
runs the gamut from pre-World War II transport aircraft to one of the most recent
additions to SAC's fighting force, the Atlas Intercontinental Ballistic Missile.
Under the general's command are the KC-135 tanker equipped 385th Strategic Aerospace
Wing, the 307th medium bomb wing and 98th Strategic Aerospace Wing equipped with
B-47 Stratojet bombers. The 549th and 551st Strategic Missile Squadrons, both of
which use the Atlas missile and the 818th Combat Support Group, the host agency at
Lincoln Air Force Base.
A command pilot, the general has more than 6,500 hours flying
time. Included in his decorations are the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star
with two clusters, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross with three clusters,
Bronze Star, Air Medal with nine clusters, British Distinguished Flying Cross and
the French Croix De Guerre, Air Force Longevity Service Award with four oak leaf
clusters, European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, Distinguished Unit Badge,
and the Guided Missile Insignia..
Major General Lewis Lyle was inducted into the Arkansas Aviation Hall of Fame posthumously in 2021.