Dartmouth's Two Top Generals

The Class of '41 is able to claim Dartmouth's two highest ranking active generals, John C. Meyer and Robert J. Dixon. Both men were recently promoted to important new positions in the Air Force command.

General John Meyer, wearing four stars now, was named Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force. He was jumped over many senior officers to assume the second highest position in the Air Force. Usually an officer who had already served in the four-star rank is moved up to Vice Chief, but General Meyer's promotion in rank and position came simultaneously. Previously he was operations director for the PCS Joint Staff in the Pentagon. His operational background is predominantly in fighters, and formerly he commanded TAC's 12th Air Force. During World War II he was the leading American ace in Europe with 37½ aircraft destroyed in the air and on the ground. He also flew combat missions in the Korean War and destroyed 2 MIG 15s. Besides Dartmouth, he is a graduate of the Air War College.

Major General Robert Dixon is the new Vice Commander of the Seventh Air Force in South Vietnam. He had previously served as Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel for Military Personnel and Commander, USAF Military Personnel Center, Randolph AFB, Texas. Just before he left Randolph to assume his new command, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for providing "dynamic leadership, integrity, imagination and objectivity ... in support of Air Force personnel management objectives." The computerized supporting personnel data system developed under his command has been described as the world's largest and most advanced. He began his Air Force career as a photo reconnaissance pilot in World War II and flew 65 missions. He was shot down over Germany in February 1945 and remained a prisoner of war until May 1945. He flew 28 combat missions during the Korean War. A graduate of the Air War College, he is a command pilot with more than 5,000 flying hours.

Gen. John C. Meyer '41

Gen. Robert J. Dixon '41