Moody R. Tidwell, Jr. – Major General, United States Air Force

by

Courtesy of the United States Air Force

MAJOR GENERAL MOODY R. TIDWELL JR.

Retired March 31, 1963, Died January 13, 1979

Moody R. Tidwell Jr. was born at Miami, Oklahoma, in 1903. He attended the public schools of Miami, Okla.; Western Military Academy, Alton, Illinois; and the University of Oklahoma, Norman. In 1923 he graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a bachelor of laws degree. The following year, 1924, he received his Reserve commission as a second lieutenant, U.S. Army (Finance Department).

After his graduation from law school, and until 1928 when he opened his own office and began the general practice of law, General Tidwell was associated with his father in the banking business in Miami, Okla. From 1928 to 1940 he practiced law in Oklahoma. During this period, General Tidwell was well known for his active and extensive participation in the many varied activities of the Methodist Church, Chamber of  Commerce, Lions Club and the Boy Scouts of America. He devoted much of his time to the work of the Boy Scouts, both as a scoutmaster and as a member of the Cherokee Council of the Boy Scouts of his district. He was elected state president of the Oklahoma Junior Chamber of Commerce and attained prominence for his endeavors and interest in the civic affairs of his own community as well as throughout Oklahoma. In 1934 the general was the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award of the U.S. Junior Chamber of Commerce in recognition of his outstanding public service.

In 1940 the general was called to active military service as a captain and assigned to duty in Washington, D.C. During his tour of duty in Washington, he served as chief of the Claims Division, Office of the Chief of Finance (1940-1943); and then as a member of the Board of Contract Appeals, Office of the Undersecretary of War (1943-1948).

From Washington, D.C., the general went to the Far East, where he was claims judge advocate for the Far East Air Force from May 1949 until June 1950, and then staff judge advocate for FEAF until February 1952. Following his tour of duty in the Far East, General Tidwell was assigned to Headquarters Air Materiel Command,  Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, where he was appointed staff judge advocate for the Air Materiel Command, a post which he held until April 1960. During this time, he was promoted to brigadier general (October 1954) and then to major general (November 1958). General Tidwell was the first staff judge advocate of the Air Materiel Command to have held the rank of general and also the first Air Force judge advocate to be appointed a general officer while serving in the field.

While assigned as staff judge advocate of Air Materiel Command, General Tidwell was responsible for providing the legal support to all elements of the worldwide procurement activities of the Air Materiel Command, the world’s largest procurement organization. His office at headquarters Air Materiel Command also represented the Air Force in all of the appeals pending before the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals, at Washington, D.C., which in work and dollar volume was larger than any law firm in the world. Additionally, his office represented the Air Force in patent prosecution work on disclosures made by Air Force contractor personnel as well as by Air Force personnel.

On April 23, 1960, General Tidwell was named the assistant judge advocate general of the Air Force. On May 1, 1960, he assumed his present office as the assistant judge advocate general, U.S. Air Force, at Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.

The general is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States, the Supreme Court of Oklahoma, and the Federal District Court of the District of Columbia.

He is a member of the Oklahoma Bar Association; American Bar Association; Federal Bar Association; and the Judge Advocates Association (presently serving on the board of directors)

DECORATIONS AND MEDALS:

  • Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
  • Bronze Star Medal
  • Army Commendation Ribbon
  • American Defense Service Medal
  • American Campaign Medal
  • World War II Victory Medal
  • Army of Occupation Medal (Japan)
  • National Defense Service Medal
  • Korean Service Medal
  • Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon with three oak leaf clusters
  • United Nations Service Medal

HOBBIES:

  • Photography

SPORTS:

  • Golf

CLUBS:

  • Army-Navy Country Club
  • Army & Navy Club

CIVIC AND RELIGIOUS INTERESTS:

  • Chamber of Commerce
  • Member of Methodist Church

FRATERNITIES:

  • Kappa Sigma
  • Phi Delta Phi

General Tidwell was buried with full military honors in Section 11 of Arlington National Cemetery.

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