Commander 24th Air division
Shade 1549 - Service

General Don D. Pittman was born 1925 in Jefferson City, Missouri. He entered active military service in 1943 and in 1945 received his commission and pilot wings through the aviation cadet program.

His first assignments were as a multiengine pilot and operations officer in the continental U.S., Hawaii and Canton Islands and troop carrier pilot at Bergstrom Air Force Base. General Pittman served in the Berlin Airlift from Royal Air Force Station, England, and Rhein-Main Air Base, Germany.

Upon his return to the U.S. he served assumed a few duties and attended school. He then returned to Germany and served as a pilot with the special air missions squadron at Wiesbaden Air Base (1951); safety officer for the 36th Fighter-Bomber Wing (1952); flight commander and assistant operations officer of the 53d Fighter Bomber Squadron.

After various posts in the U.S. and graduation from Air Command and Staff College, he went to Chateauroux Air Base, France where he served as NATO project officer for the Fiat G-91 (1960); Chief of Safety for Air Materiel Forces, European Area (1961).

He was transferred to Vietnam where he served as operations officer and commander of the 429th Tactical Fighter Squadron (1964); commander of the 481st Tactical Fighter Squadron and deputy commander for operations (1967); command of the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing, the Statue of Liberty Wing, at Royal Air Force Station (1971).

In August 1975 he assumed duties as commander of the 314th Air Division as Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea; commander of the Korean Air Defense Sector and Air Force advisor to the senior member of the United Nations Military Armistice Commission. General Pittman became commander of the 24th NORAD Region and the 24th Air Division in April 1977 until retirement on October 1, 1978.

General Pittman is a command pilot with more than 11000 flying hours in 42 types of aircraft, including fighters, tactical bombers, tankers, gliders, reconnaissance and liaison aircraft, and helicopters.

His military decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross (two oak leaf clusters), Bronze Star Medal (one oak leaf cluster), Air Medal (13 oak leaf clusters), Air Force Commendation Medal (one oak leaf cluster), and the Vietnamese Cross for Gallantry.

He died September 11, 2001.