General McGough was born in Philadelphia, Pa. (1918). He entered the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, N.Y., and graduated with a commission as second lieutenant (1943). He went with the 474th Fighter Group to the European Theater of Operations where he progressed from flight commander to squadron commander in a P-38 fighter aircraft organization (1944).

Following this, he spent a short tour of duty in the Ninth Air Force headquarters as an operations officer. He returned to the United States (1945). He next was assigned to the Officers' Assignment Branch, Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel, Headquarters U.S. Air Force (1951).

He went to Headquarters U.S. Air Force as a personnel assignment officer in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel (1951). He was then assigned to the 50th Tactical Fighter Wing as commander of the 81st Tactical Fighter Squadron and as commander, moved the squadron from Clovis Air Force Base, N.M., to Hahn Air Base, Germany (1953).

He was made commander of the 36th Fighter Day Group at Bitburg, Germany (1954). While in Europe, he participated as captain of a gunnery team in the U.S. Air Forces in Europe gunnery meets and was twice selected as the outstanding captain.

During this period, his group was the first USAFE organization to convert from F-86F to F-l00C aircraft. General McGough was assigned to Headquarters Tactical Air Command at Langley Air Force Base, Va., as chief of the Fighter Division, Directorate of Requirements (1957). In this capacity, he was instrumental in the continued development of the F-105 aircraft and other tactical fighter aircraft being considered as potential weapons for the tactical forces.

After several posts in the U.S. General McGough went to Southeast Asia and was assigned as deputy director (out-of-country operations), Tactical Air Control Center, Headquarters Seventh Air Force, Pacific Air Forces (1966). In August 1967 he returned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force as deputy director of aerospace programs, Deputy Chief of Staff, Programs and Resources; and in March 1969 he became director, personnel planning, Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel.

He assumed command in July 1970 of the Sixteenth Air Force (U.S. Air Forces in Europe) with headquarters at Torrejon Air Base, Spain, and remained there until being named deputy commandant of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in October 1972.

He is a command pilot. His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster; Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster; Air Medal with 11 oak leaf clusters; Air Force Commendation Medal; Army Commendation Medal; Distinguished Unit Citation Emblem; the Republic of Vietnam Distinguished Service Order, 2d Class, and the Armed Forces Honor Medal, 1st Class; and the Grand Cross of the Order of Aeronautical Merit (Spain).