Air Force lieutenant general and co-planner of the famed August 1943 bomber raid attacking Nazi oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania. General Timberlake closed his Air Force career in 1965 as commander of the U.S. Air Force's Continental Air Command. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy and was appointed a second lieutenant of Infantry June 11, 1931. Served with the 72nd Bomb Squadron at Luke Field, Hawaii, then served with the 40th Attack Squadron before serving five years as a flying instructor at the Air Corps Advanced Flying School at Kelly Field, Texas. After brief service in Florida, he went to Barksdale Field, La., where he was first executive officer of the 98th Bomb Group and then the first commander of the 93rd Bomb Group formed there. That was the unit, later nicknamed "Ted's Flying Circus" and "Ted's Travelling Circus," that he led in the dangerous and unique Ploesti mission that was the only single combat action in history in which five Medals of Honor were earned. In December 1944, he assumed command of the 20th Combat Bomb Wing in the European theater. In May 1945, General Timberlake was assigned to Headquarters Army Air Force and two months later was transferred to Bolling Field, D.C., as assistant chief of staff for personnel of the Continental Air Forces, and then was appointed chief of the Operations Division, Deputy Chief of Staff/Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force. Later he was commander of the 315th Air Division of the Fifth Air Force, with station at Itazuke, Japan. He became chief of staff of Fifth Air Force in June 1949, and the following December was named its vice commander. In May 1951, he moved with the Fifth Air Force to Korea, as vice commander and later became its commander. He was commander of the Ninth Air Force for six years starting in August 1951. In 1957 he assumed command of the Fourth Allied Tactical Air Force (NATO). In July 1958, General Timberlake became vice commander in chief, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, at Wiesbaden, Germany. He became deputy chief of staff for personnel, Headquarters, U.S. Air Force, in July 1961. He became commander of the nationwide Continental Air Command on July 1, 1962. His awards included the Distinguished Service Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters, Silver Star, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters and Distinguished Unit Citation.
Air Force lieutenant general and co-planner of the famed August 1943 bomber raid attacking Nazi oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania. General Timberlake closed his Air Force career in 1965 as commander of the U.S. Air Force's Continental Air Command. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy and was appointed a second lieutenant of Infantry June 11, 1931. Served with the 72nd Bomb Squadron at Luke Field, Hawaii, then served with the 40th Attack Squadron before serving five years as a flying instructor at the Air Corps Advanced Flying School at Kelly Field, Texas. After brief service in Florida, he went to Barksdale Field, La., where he was first executive officer of the 98th Bomb Group and then the first commander of the 93rd Bomb Group formed there. That was the unit, later nicknamed "Ted's Flying Circus" and "Ted's Travelling Circus," that he led in the dangerous and unique Ploesti mission that was the only single combat action in history in which five Medals of Honor were earned. In December 1944, he assumed command of the 20th Combat Bomb Wing in the European theater. In May 1945, General Timberlake was assigned to Headquarters Army Air Force and two months later was transferred to Bolling Field, D.C., as assistant chief of staff for personnel of the Continental Air Forces, and then was appointed chief of the Operations Division, Deputy Chief of Staff/Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force. Later he was commander of the 315th Air Division of the Fifth Air Force, with station at Itazuke, Japan. He became chief of staff of Fifth Air Force in June 1949, and the following December was named its vice commander. In May 1951, he moved with the Fifth Air Force to Korea, as vice commander and later became its commander. He was commander of the Ninth Air Force for six years starting in August 1951. In 1957 he assumed command of the Fourth Allied Tactical Air Force (NATO). In July 1958, General Timberlake became vice commander in chief, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, at Wiesbaden, Germany. He became deputy chief of staff for personnel, Headquarters, U.S. Air Force, in July 1961. He became commander of the nationwide Continental Air Command on July 1, 1962. His awards included the Distinguished Service Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters, Silver Star, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters and Distinguished Unit Citation.
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