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[[image - black and white photograph of Major General Ralph Royce]]

RALPH ROYCE
Major General
U. S. ARMY
Commanding Army Air Forces Southeast Training Center

Drawn straight from combat command to give the benefit of his experience to the country's future fliers, Major General Royce assumed command of the Army Air Forces Southeast Training Center in September, 1942

General Royce was born in Marquette, Michigan, in 1890, attended school at Hancock, Michigan, and was appointed to West Point in 1910, graduating in 1914. He served with the First Aero Squadron in the Mexican Punitive Expedition in 1916, and led the first All-American unit over the lines in France in 1917, where he won the Croix-de-Guerre.

During the period 1920 to 1926 General Royce commanded the Air Corps Primary Flying School at Carlstrom Field, Florida, and Brooks Field, Texas; and from 1928 to 1930 he commanded the First Pursuit Group at Selfridge Field. During 1930-33 he was on the General Staff of the War Department, and in 1934 he made an aerial survey of the route from the United States to Alaska. After commanding at Selfridge Field from 1934 to 1937 he spent two years in the Philippines. 

He returned to command the Seventh Bombardment Group at Hamilton Field, California, and the 20th Bombardment Wing at Fort Douglas, Utah, from 1939 to 1941. During 1941 he served as Military Attache in London and with the Harriman Mission to the Middle East. He was assigned to Australia in early 1942 where he was Chief of Allied Air Operations and later in command of the Northeast Area, scene of the heaviest air operations against the Japanese.