Turner Ashby Sims, Jr. – Brigadier General, United States Air Force

Courtesy of the United  States Air Force

BRIGADIER GENERAL TURNER A. SIMS JR.
Retired October 31, 1947, Died November 19, 1987

Turner Ashby Sims Jr., was born in 1904 at Little Rock, Arkansas. He was appointed cadet, U.S. Military Academy August 17, 1921, and served as such to June 12, 1926 when he graduated and was appointed Second Lieutenant, Air Services, Regular Army; accepted June 12, 1926; assigned service number 0 16 374; transferred to the Corps of Engineers, September 28, 1926 with rank from June 12, 1926; transferred to the Air Corps, July 3, 1928 with rank from June 12, 1926; promoted to first lieutenant (permanent), September 17, 1931 with rank from September 1, 1931; accepted September 19, 1931; promoted to captain (permanent), June 14, 1936 with rank from June 12, 1936; accepted June 19, 1936; promoted to major (temporary), November 16, 1940; accepted November 18, 1940; appointed major, Army of the United States, February 10, 1941 with rank from January 31, 1941; accepted February 13, 1941;
appointed lieutenant colonel, Regular Army (temporary), January 23, 1942 with rank from Jan. 5, 1942; accepted January 24, 1942; promoted to colonel (temporary), April 20, 1942 with rank from March 1, 1942; accepted April 21, 1942; promoted to lieutenant colonel (temporary), April 25, 1942 with rank from February 1, 1942; accepted April 28, 1942; promoted to major (permanent) June 12, 1943; promoted to colonel (temporary), September 22, 1943; appointed brigadier general (temporary), February 27, 1947 with rank from February 4, 1947; retired effective October 31, 1947 in the grade of Brigadier General.

He is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, 1926; Air Corps Primary Flying School, 1927; Air Corps Advanced Flying School, Bombardment Course, 1927; Air Corps Engineering School, 1934; Air Corps Tactical School, 1940.

General Sims holds the aeronautical ratings of command pilot, technical observer and aircraft observer.

He served an a student, Air Corps Primary Flying School and later Air Corps Advanced Flying School, Brooks and Kelly fields, Texas from June 1926 to August 1927; assistant post operations officer, later instructor, Attack Section, Air Corps Advanced Flying Schools, Kelly Field, Texas to August 1929; instructor, Department of Natural and Experimental Philosophy, U.S. Military Academy, West Point, New York, to July 1933, student, Air Corps Engineering School, Wright Field, Ohio; assistant chief, Propeller Unit, Aircraft Branch and later director, Propeller Unit and later Dynamic Research and Test Laboratory Aircraft Branch, Engineering Section, Air Corps Materiel Division, Wright Field, Ohio to June 1936, director, Propeller Unit, Aircraft Branch and assistant
chief, Experimental Engineering Sections, Air Corps Materiel Division, Wright Field, Ohio to April 1940; student, Air Corps Tactical School, Maxwell Field, Alabama, to June 1940; technical executive assistant, Army Air Force Materiel Center and later deputy chief of staff, Army Air Force Materiel Command Wright Field, Ohio to August 1944; chief of administration, Air Force Technical Service Command, Wright Field, Ohio to July 1945; executive officer to deputy commanding general Headquarters Air Force; executive officer to assistant secretary of war for air, Office of the Assistant of War, Washington. D.C. to September 1947; patient, Walter Reed General Headquarters Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C., to October 1, 1947; assigned Separation Point, Army Medical Center, for record purposes only, to October 31, 1947, the effective date of his retirement.

He has held a continuous commission since June 12, 1926 with active duty from June 12, 1926 to October 31, 1947.

Brigadier General Sims was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for his services in positions of great responsibility in the development of fighter aircraft to escort heavy bombers and his vital role in the establishing and development of aircraft modifications centers. He directed and coordinated the Developments, Procurement and Production Aircraft Program and devised ways and means to expedite completion of the most vital developmental projects and to maintain maximum production. He was authorized the American Defense Service Medal; American Campaign Medal and World War II Victory Medal.

General Sims was buried with full military honors in Section 30 of Arlington National Cemetery.

Michael Robert Patterson

Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.

Reviewed by: Michael Howard