C.A. "Bill" Pattillo was born in Atlanta on June 3, 1924, along with his identical twin brother Charles C. "Buck" Pattillo, to Joseph W. and Pearl Pattillo. He graduated from Atlanta Technical High School in 1942. In 1950, he married his high school sweetheart Joyce Mathews, and together they had four children. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder with a bachelor's degree in mathematics in 1962 and George Washington University, with a master's degree in international affairs in 1965. He also graduated from the U.S. Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, Pa., in 1965. Pattillo was promoted to major general September 1, 1972 and he retired September 1, 1980. On February 20, 2014, he died at his home in Harrisonburg, Virginia, at the age of 89.[1]
Military service
World War II
In November 1942, Pattillo together with his twin brother enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces, later completing the aviation cadet program and receiving his pilot wings and commission as a second lieutenant at Marianna, Florida, in March 1944. He and his brother joined the 352nd Fighter Group in December 1944, flying P-51 Mustangs in the European Theater of Operations.[2]
Pattillo flew 135 combat missions in World War II, engaging and shooting down a German Me 262, and destroying six other enemy aircraft. On April 16, 1945, while attacking Ganacker airfield and shortly after destroying two enemy aircraft, his P-51Sweet and Lovely was shot down by anti-aircraft fire. Pattillo successfully bailed out and was then captured by the Germans and remained a POW until the end of the war.[2][3]
In October 1952 he was assigned as a fighter gunnery instructor with the 3542nd Flying Training Squadron at Pinecastle Air Force Base, Fla. In March 1953 he went to Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., as a gunnery instructor with his twin brother, now Lieutenant General Charles C. Pattillo, U.S. Air Force, who is vice director of the Joint Deployment Agency which is collocated with the U.S. Readiness Command. Together they were instrumental in forming the Thunderbirds, the first U.S. Air Force official aerial demonstration team. Pattillo flew right wing and his brother flew left wing in the original team in 1953.[5] Pattillo was assigned as commander of the 3603rd Combat, Crew Training Squadron at Luke Air Force Base in June 1954.[6]
In November 1955 he assumed duties as air operations officer with the 613th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 401st Tactical Fighter Wing at England Air Force Base, La., and in December 1956 served a six-month temporary tour of duty as Ninth Air Force liaison officer with Tactical Air Command rotational units at Aviano Air Base, Italy. He returned to England Air Force Base in June 1957 and served briefly with the 401st Fighter-Bomber Group as operations officer and in September 1957 became commander of the 615th Tactical Fighter Squadron.
In September 1959 Pattillo entered the University of Colorado, under the Air Force Institute of Technology program, and graduated in January 1962 with a degree in mathematics. In February 1962 he was assigned to the 4450th Standardization and Evaluation Group at Langley Air Force Base, Va.
Returning to the United States in October 1969, the general was assigned to Headquarters Tactical Air Command at Langley Air Force Base as assistant deputy chief of staff, plans, and in December 1970 become assistant deputy chief of staff, operations. In September 1972 Pattillo was assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., as deputy director of operations in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and Operations, and assumed duties as director of operations in February 1973.
In May 1974 Pattillo was assigned to Allied Forces Central Europe as the deputy chief of staff for operations and intelligence and senior U.S. representative. The general was transferred to MacDill Air Force Base in July 1977.
Pattillo was a highly decorated command pilot with more than 5,000 flying hours.[7]
United States Air Force
Major general
Distinguished Service Medal
Silver Star
Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross
Air Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Army Commendation Medal
Distinguished Unit Citation
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Croix de Guerre
Republic of Vietnam Honor Medal
