Bruce Keener Holloway

General, U.S. Air Force

Bruce Keener Holloway was born on 1 September 1912 in Knoxville, TN. He was one of two children of Frank P., a mill owner, and Elizabeth Keener Holloway, a homemaker. He graduated from Knoxville High School in 1929 and studied engineering for two years at the University of Tennessee before attending Marion Military Institute, where he prepared for appointment to the U.S. Military Academy. He graduated in 1937, was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, and assigned to the U.S. Army Air Corps.

Holloway received his pilot wings in 1938 at Kelly Field, TX, then served two years with the Sixth Pursuit Squadron and 18th Pursuit Group in Hawaii before taking a postgraduate course in Aeronautical Engineering at the California Institute of Technology.

After the U.S. entered World War II, Holloway was sent to China to observe General Claire Chennault's American Volunteer Group (AVG); the Flying Tigers. Holloway became the Commander of the 23rd Fighter Group, U.S. Army Air Forces. During his tour in China, he earned status as a fighter ace by shooting down 13 Japanese planes. He returned to the U.S. in 1944.

As Commander of the Army Air Forces' first jet-equipped fighter group in 1946, Holloway served as a pioneer in this new field of tactical jet air operations.

After graduation from the National War College in 1951, he progressed through key staff assignments in both operations and development fields at Headquarters U.S. Air Force. Later, as Director of Operational Requirements, he played a key role in preparing and evaluating proposals for many aircraft and missiles.

Holloway spent four years in Tactical Air Command (TAC) as Deputy Commander of both the 9th and 12th Air Forces and, in 1961, he was named Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Strike Command at MacDill AFB, FL. Later in that assignment, he also fulfilled additional responsibilities as Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Middle East/Southern Asia and Africa South of the Sahara Command.

Major Commands

Holloway was promoted to the four-star rank of General on 1 August 1965 and assumed Command of the U.S. Air Forces in Europe. He served in that command until his appointment as Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force on 1 August 1966, at the Pentagon. He became Commander-in-Chief of the Strategic Air Command at Offutt AFB, NE, on 1 August 1968 and remained in that position until his retirement.

General Holloway retired from the Air Force 30 April 1972.

Medals and Awards

Army Distinguished Service Medal

Air Force Distinguished Service Medal

Silver Star Medal

Legion of Merit

Distinguished Flying Cross

Air Medal

Order of the Sacred Tripod (China)

Order of the Cloud and Banner

Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany with Star and Sash

The Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand-First Class-Knight Grand Cross

Honorary Royal Thai Air Force Wings

Order of Aeronautical Merit (Brazil)

Commander of the French Légion d'honneur

Badges

Chinese Air Force Pilot Wings

German Air Force Command Pilot Wings

Death and Cremation

General Bruce Keener Holloway died of heart failure on 30 September 1999, in Orlando, FL. He was 87. His remains were cremated and interred in his hometown of Knoxville, TN.