Daniel "Chappie" James Jr. (11 February 1920 - 25 February 1978) was a fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force, who in 1975 became the first African American to reach the rank of four star General.
From September 1937 to March 1942, he attended Tuskegee Institute, where he received a bachelor of science degree in physical education and completed civilian pilot training under the government-sponsored Civilian Pilot Training Program.
General James was promoted to four-star grade and assigned as commander in chief, NORAD/ADCOM, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, on September 1, 1975. In these dual capacities, he had operational command of all United States and Canadian strategic aerospace defense forces. He assumed duty as special assistant to the chief of staff, U.S. Air Force on December 6, 1977.
General James was widely known for his speeches on Americanism and patriotism for which he was editorialized in numerous national and international publications. Excerpts from some of the speeches have been read into the Congressional Record.
General James died of a heart attack in February 1978 at the age of fifty-eight, less than a month after retiring from the Air Force.
Posted By: Reginald Culpepper
Friday, September 30th 2005 at 11:45PM
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