Gordon Blake

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Gordon Blake bigraphy, stories - United States general

Gordon Blake : biography

July 22, 1910 – September 1, 1997

Gordon Aylesworth Blake (July 22, 1910 – September 1, 1997) was a U.S. Air Force lieutenant general who served from 1962-1965 as director of the National Security Agency (NSA).

Post-World War II

For his work in World War II he was awarded the Legion of Merit by Admiral Nimitz plus an oak leaf cluster to the Legion of Merit by the War Department, the Air Medal with oak leaf cluster, and battle stars for participation in the following campaigns: Central Pacific, Eastern Mandates, New Guinea, North Solomons, Guadalcanal, Papua and South Philippines, Luzon and Western Pacific. He returned from overseas in November 1945, and in January 1946, was appointed deputy commander of the Airways and Air Communications Service at Langley Field, Virginia.

Entering the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, in August 1947, General Blake graduated the following June and went to research and development work at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Between 1948 and 1951, he was with the Electronics Subdivision of the Engineering Division and served as chief of the Armament Laboratory. In the summer of 1951, he was placed in charge of 12 development laboratories and promoted to brigadier general. His final assignment at Wright Field was as vice commander from June 1952 to January 1953.

Transferred to Air Force Headquarters in January 1953, General Blake was appointed deputy director of communications in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, becoming director of communications the following month. Many changes to the U.S. Air Force system for global communications and navigation, including pioneer operational circuits using tropospheric scatter communications for the first time, were carried out during General Blake’s tour as director of communications.

He was named assistant deputy chief of staff for operations on June 2, 1956. In this capacity he served on the Permanent Joint Board for Defense, Canada – U.S., under which many defense projects such as the Dewline radar network were planned between the two countries. During the latter part of his Washington assignment, he was given the aeronautical rating of command pilot and was promoted to permanent major general, the highest permanent rank in the regular service.

General Blake left Washington on January 4, 1957, to become commander of the U.S. Air Force Security Service, a major command of the U.S. Air Force with Headquarters in San Antonio. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service to the United States as commander, U.S. Air Force Security Service.

On September 1, 1959, he was assigned as vice commander in chief and chief of staff, Pacific Air Forces, the air arm of the joint Pacific Command with headquarters in Hawaii.

General Blake came to Headquarters Continental Air Command in July 1961 as commander-designate. He assumed command of CONAC September 30, 1961 and became lieutenant general October 1, 1961.

General Blake assumed the position of director, National Security Agency, at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland, July 1, 1962, which he held until his retirement in 1965.

The U.S. Air Force Aircraft Save Award is named after him. It is awarded for any action taken by an air traffic controller or airfield manager that results in the safe recovery of an imperiled airborne aircraft or help given to an endangered aircraft on the ground.

Decorations

number=1|type=oak|ribbon=Legion of Merit ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}} number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Distinguished Flying Cross ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}} number=1|type=oak|ribbon=Air Medal ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}}
number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Army Commendation Medal ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}} number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=American Defense Service ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}} number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=American Campaign Medal ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}}
number=4|type=service-star|ribbon=Asiatic-Pacific Campaign ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}} number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=World War II Victory Medal ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}} number=1|type=oak|ribbon=National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}}
number=6|type=oak|ribbon=Air Force Longevity Service ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}} number=2|type=service-star|ribbon=Phliber rib.png|width=106|alt=}} number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Philippine Independence Medal Ribbon.jpg|width=106|alt=}}