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THOMPSON TROPHY (Cont'd.)

BRIGADIER GENERAL J. STANLEY HOLTONER, USAF, was born in New York City, New York, August 4, 1911. Following his graduation from Townsend Harris Hall in 1928, he attended New York University, from which he received his Bachelor of Science degree in 1932.

He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army in 1932. In 1933 he was assigned to flying school at Randolph AFB. He received his pilot wings in 1934 at Kelly AFB and was assigned from 1934 to 1939 to the First Pursuit Group at Selfridge Field.

General Holtoner served overseas in Hawaii, Iceland and Italy. He commanded the 82nd Fighter Group during the last few  months of World War II, flying forty-two combat missions. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross during this combat tour of duty.

From May, 1946 to July, 1950, General Holtoner was assigned to Headquarters, USAF, as Chief, Aircraft Branch, Directorate of Research and Development. He became Assistant Deputy for Development in the Air Research and Development Command when this newest of Air Force major commands was organized in April, 1951. In this capacity he assisted the Deputy in the conduct, direction, administration, preparation, and content of all Air Research and Development Command applied research and development programs.

In January 1952, General Holtoner assumed command of the Air Force Flight Test Center, Edwards Air Force Base, California. The Flight Test Center performs experimental flight test on all new Air Force aircraft and equipment and conducts related research and development.

A command pilot, General Holtoner is one of the Air Force's most experience fighter pilots, having flown all Air Force fighters from P-1 to F-86. Over sixty per cent of his 5500 hours of flying time has been flown in fighters.

In the pre-World War II days, he participated in the comparative testing of the first models of the P-35 and P-36.

He made major contributions towards the development of the nation's top World War II fighters, flying comparative tests on the first P-38's and the P-43, the prototype of the P-47. His specialty has been aerial gunnery tactics.

General and Mrs. Holtoner, the former Mary Jane Thomas, have two children, J. Stanley, Jr., and Mary Jane, and reside at Edwards Air Force Base, California.