General David C. Jones was born July 9, 1921 in Aberdeen, South Dakota. He was a U.S. Air Force general and the ninth Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staf.

In February 1943, Jones graduated from Roswell Army Airfield flight school in New Mexico, received his pilot wings, and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Forces. 

From 1948 to 1949 Jones was a unit instructor and then assistant operations and training officer with the 2236th Air Force Reserve Training Center. Jones was assigned to the 19th Bombardment Squadron at March AFB, California, in January 1950. During his years with the 19th, he rose to aircraft commander, then operations officer and finally commander of the squadron.

He flew more than 300 hours on combat missions over North Korea, when the squadron was one of the first bombardment units committed to the Korean War. In May 1953 he transitioned from bombers to tankers, taking command of the 22nd Air Refueling Squadron at March. Promoted to lieutenant colonel in June 1953, he remained at March but returned to bombers the following year as commander of the 33rd Bombardment Squadron. 

Jones was a graduated from the National War College in 1960.

Jones served in key staff assignments with U.S. Air Forces Europe. He received his second star in November 1967. In February 1969 Jones was assigned to Headquarters Seventh Air Force, Tan Son Nhut Airfield, Vietnam, as deputy chief of staff for operations and became vice commander in June. Promoted to lieutenant general, he returned to SAC in August 1969 as commander of the Second Air Force, headquartered at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana.

Jones was awarded an honorary doctorate of humane letters degree from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 1974, an honorary doctorate of laws degree from Louisiana Tech University in 1975, and an honorary doctorate of humane letters degree from Minot State College in 1979. Jones was the final Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to be decorated for service in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.

His awards are the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Air Medal, Bronze Star, Federal Republic of Germany Merit Cross of the Federal Republic (Order of Merit).

He died August 10, 2013 at a military retirement community in Potomac Falls, Virginia at age 92.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General David C. Jones with Philippine President Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos at Clark Air Base.