William Jefferson Ball
"Bill"
Service
United States Air Force
Highest Rank
Brigadier General
Years of Service
29
Combat
Yes
No Photos/Documents
Biography as of Sep 11, 2013
BrigadierGeneral William J. (Bill) Ball
Retired September 01, 1992
Born in Lincoln, Nebraska in 1941.
Graduated from Lincoln Southeast High School in June 1959.
Earned a B.S. in Military Science from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1963.
Earned a Masters Degree from Troy State University, Ala. in 1978.
Completed Squadron Officer School in 1970 and Air War College in 1982.
Assignments:
3615th Pilot Training Wing, Craig AFB, Ala.
July 1964 - August 1965. Undergraduate Pilot Training. T-37s and T-33s.
F-102 Air Defense Training at Perrin AFB, Texas. September 1964 - March 1965.
T-33s, F-102s.
F-101 Air Defense Training at Tyndall AFB, Florida. March - June 1965.
13th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Glasgow AFB, Montana. June 65 - December 66.
T-33s, F-101s.
4453rd Combat Crew Training Wing, Davis Monthan AFB, Ariz. Dec 66 - June 67.
F-4 Upgrade Training.
12th Tactical Fighter Wing, Cam Ranh Bay Air Base, South Vietnam. June 67 - June 68. F4C/D aircraft.
4453rd Combat Crew Training Wing, Davis Monthan AFB, Ariz. June 68 - May 70.
F4C/D Instructor Pilot (IP).
U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO. August 70 - June 73. Air Officer Commanding, Cadet Squadron 25. T-29s, T-33s.
86th Tactical Fighter Wing, Ramstein Air Base, Germany. June 73 - May 1977. 526th Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS) Flight Commander, Wing Chief of Standardization/ Evaluation, 512th TFS Operations Officer. F4E IP/Evaluator.
NATO Operations Support Cell, Kalkar Air Station, Germany. May 77 - August 78. Chief of Current Operations, Chief of Support.
Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley AFB, Va. August 78 - August 81. Chief, Weapon Systems Division, Directorate of Requirements; Chief, Command Presentations, Directorate of Operations.
31st Tactical Training Wing, Homestead AFB, Fla. June 82 - March 85. Assistant Director of Operations (ADO); Director of Operations (DO). F4D IP.
4 th Tactical Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C. March 85--‐ March 88. Wing Vice Commander; Wing Commander. ARN-101 F4Es.
Southeast Air Defense Sector, Tyndall AFB, Fla. April 88 - April 89. Commander. F-15s.
28th Air Division, Tactical Air Command, Tinker AFB, Okla. April 89- May 92. Commander. Division units included all worldwide U.S. Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) assets, Compass Call, Airborne Battlefield Command and Control Center (ABCCC) assets, and the 8th Air Deployment Control Squadron. All units participated in the Panamanian Invasion, Desert Shield and Desert Storm Operations. E3 AWACS, EC-130s, C--‐135s.
552 Air Control Wing, Tactical Air Command, Tinker AFB, Okla. May 92 - Sept 92. Commander. This command change occurred after the 28th Air Division was deactivated. All assets remained under command of the 552nd.
Flying Rating: Command Pilot with more than 4000 hours in the T-33, T‐29, F-101, F‐102, F4C/D/Es, F-15, EC-130, C‐135, and E-3 aircraft. Flying hours include 150 combat missions in Southeast Asia.
Military Awards: Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with six oak leaf clusters, and the Air Force Commendation Medal.
Business Involvement since retirement from the Air Force;
Twice Chairman of the Military Affairs Council, Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce.
Interim President/CEO of the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce.
Combined Federal Campaign Board of Directors Member.
Colorado Boys Ranch Board of Directors Vice Chairman.
My wife and I have been married since June 1963. We have two children and two grandchildren.
PS. In my video on 6 Feb 66, the Tower stated that I had missed the approach end barrier. Not so. I had hooked it but due to my speed I cut it and tore off my tail hook.
Retired September 01, 1992
Born in Lincoln, Nebraska in 1941.
Graduated from Lincoln Southeast High School in June 1959.
Earned a B.S. in Military Science from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1963.
Earned a Masters Degree from Troy State University, Ala. in 1978.
Completed Squadron Officer School in 1970 and Air War College in 1982.
Assignments:
3615th Pilot Training Wing, Craig AFB, Ala.
July 1964 - August 1965. Undergraduate Pilot Training. T-37s and T-33s.
F-102 Air Defense Training at Perrin AFB, Texas. September 1964 - March 1965.
T-33s, F-102s.
F-101 Air Defense Training at Tyndall AFB, Florida. March - June 1965.
13th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Glasgow AFB, Montana. June 65 - December 66.
T-33s, F-101s.
4453rd Combat Crew Training Wing, Davis Monthan AFB, Ariz. Dec 66 - June 67.
F-4 Upgrade Training.
12th Tactical Fighter Wing, Cam Ranh Bay Air Base, South Vietnam. June 67 - June 68. F4C/D aircraft.
4453rd Combat Crew Training Wing, Davis Monthan AFB, Ariz. June 68 - May 70.
F4C/D Instructor Pilot (IP).
U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO. August 70 - June 73. Air Officer Commanding, Cadet Squadron 25. T-29s, T-33s.
86th Tactical Fighter Wing, Ramstein Air Base, Germany. June 73 - May 1977. 526th Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS) Flight Commander, Wing Chief of Standardization/ Evaluation, 512th TFS Operations Officer. F4E IP/Evaluator.
NATO Operations Support Cell, Kalkar Air Station, Germany. May 77 - August 78. Chief of Current Operations, Chief of Support.
Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley AFB, Va. August 78 - August 81. Chief, Weapon Systems Division, Directorate of Requirements; Chief, Command Presentations, Directorate of Operations.
31st Tactical Training Wing, Homestead AFB, Fla. June 82 - March 85. Assistant Director of Operations (ADO); Director of Operations (DO). F4D IP.
4 th Tactical Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C. March 85--‐ March 88. Wing Vice Commander; Wing Commander. ARN-101 F4Es.
Southeast Air Defense Sector, Tyndall AFB, Fla. April 88 - April 89. Commander. F-15s.
28th Air Division, Tactical Air Command, Tinker AFB, Okla. April 89- May 92. Commander. Division units included all worldwide U.S. Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) assets, Compass Call, Airborne Battlefield Command and Control Center (ABCCC) assets, and the 8th Air Deployment Control Squadron. All units participated in the Panamanian Invasion, Desert Shield and Desert Storm Operations. E3 AWACS, EC-130s, C--‐135s.
552 Air Control Wing, Tactical Air Command, Tinker AFB, Okla. May 92 - Sept 92. Commander. This command change occurred after the 28th Air Division was deactivated. All assets remained under command of the 552nd.
Flying Rating: Command Pilot with more than 4000 hours in the T-33, T‐29, F-101, F‐102, F4C/D/Es, F-15, EC-130, C‐135, and E-3 aircraft. Flying hours include 150 combat missions in Southeast Asia.
Military Awards: Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with six oak leaf clusters, and the Air Force Commendation Medal.
Business Involvement since retirement from the Air Force;
Twice Chairman of the Military Affairs Council, Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce.
Interim President/CEO of the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce.
Combined Federal Campaign Board of Directors Member.
Colorado Boys Ranch Board of Directors Vice Chairman.
My wife and I have been married since June 1963. We have two children and two grandchildren.
PS. In my video on 6 Feb 66, the Tower stated that I had missed the approach end barrier. Not so. I had hooked it but due to my speed I cut it and tore off my tail hook.