1953–54 Volume 78 No 1–5 - Phi Delta Theta Scroll Archive

Edwinson Is Named Brigadier General
By CAPT. JAMES W. KNOX, USAF Information Services Officer
CLARENCE L. EDWINSON, Washburn
*23, 42nd Air Division Commander
at Bergstrom Air Force Base
donned the silver stars of Brigadier General
on December 15, after being notified
of his promotion by General Curtis E. Le-
May, commander of the Strategic Air Command.
A telephone call from SAC Headquarters
at Omaha, Neb., reached Bergstrom while
General Edwinson, was at Matagorda Island
on an inspection tour of the Island's gunnery
and bombing range. General Edwinson,
upon his arrival by plane at Bergstrom,
was greeted by the Air Force Band, an Air
Police color guard, and top ranking officers
of the base.
General Edwinson has been commander
of the 42nd Air Division since it was formed
in December, 1951. A command pilot,
highest possible aeronautical rating in the
Air Force, Brother Edwinson is credited
with many contributions in the pioneering
of Jet fighter tactics.
He launched his flying career in 1934 as
an Air Cadet at Kelly Field, San Antonio,
Texas. After receiving his wings in 1935, he
drew various assignments throughout the
country, later returning to Randolph Field
as a flight instructor.
During World War II, while the Battle
of Britain was raging, he was sent to
England in 1941 as Military Observer with
the Royal Air Force Fighter Command. General
Edwinson later served with the American
Fighter units in the Aleutians, England,
Italy and in the German Occupation Army.
After graduation from the Command and
General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth,
Kansas, he commanded Offutt Air Force
Base, Nebraska for two years before transferring
to Bergstrom in 1951.
He was awarded the Distinguished Flying
Cross with three Oak Leaf Clusters,
French Croix de Guerre with Palm, Air
Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Commendation
Ribbon with one Oak Leaf
Cluster, European-African-Middle East
l>87]
Campaign Medal with four battle clusters,
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Ribbon, American
Defense Service Medal with Star, and
the Presidential Unit Citation for the 82nd
Fighter Wing.
While General Edwinson was commanding
the 42nd Air Division it accomplished
two "firsts" in the history of aviation. The
completion of the first mass over-water
flight of F-84 Thunderjets was made by the
27th Strategic Fighter Wing from Bergstrom
to Furstenfeldbruck, Germany, and
the longest trans-Pacific flight using air-toair
refueling, made by the 27 th Wing from
Bergstrom to Misawa Air Base, Japan.
General Edwinson was born in Valley
Falls, Kansas, in 1912. While a Phi at Washburn
he was a star halfback and established
a record as the highest scoring collegiate
player over a four year period, receiving
honorable mention for All-American.
An all-round athlete. General Edwinson
won the title of World Champion, at the
Olympic Skeet Meet held at Oslo, Norway,
in July, 1952.
C. L. EDWINSON, Washburn '33.
He dons the silver stars.