Edward Henry Nigro

The military career of Major General Edward H Nigro.

General Nigro was born in Worcester, Massachusetts on Nov 7, 1918, graduated from North High School in Worcester in 1936 and from Holy Cross College in June 1940. He began his military career in 1940 shortly after graduation.

On entering the Army Air Corps., he attended flying schools at Glenview Il., Gunter and Maxwell Fields Al., and received his commission and pilot’s wings in May 1941. General Nigro has served in many capacities including pilot, operations officer, personnel officer, group and wing commander, faculty member at the joint service college, Joint Chiefs of Staff, United States Air Force, and unified command staff plans officer and Chief of Staff for the Air Training Command.

He saw combat during World War II from 1942 to 1944 as a pilot in England, Africa, and Sicily. He participated in the invasions of Africa, Sicily and Italy and as a pilot participated in the longest non-stop flight for a para-troop assault in World War II from England to North Africa on November 7, 1942 - his 24th birthday - and was awarded the Air Medal by General Jimmy Dolittle for this remarkable mission.

Among his other combat assignments were Deputy Chief of Operations, Far East Air Force Headquarters, Tokyo, in 1950 and, as Commander of the 1st Provincial Group in Kimpo, Korea, and the 437th and 374th Troop Carrier Groups in Japan from 1950 to 1952. He led paratrooper drops and flew night reconnaissance missions in Korea.

General Nigro graduated in 1953 from the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk Virginia and later served as a faculty member until July 1955.  Between July 1955 and August 1959, General Nigro served at the Pentagon as Assistant Chief of Staff of War Plans Division and a member of the Chairman’s staff group under the Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff.  In June 1960, he was graduated from the National War College in Washington DC.  From July 1960 to July 1963, the general was Chief of the Plans and Policy Branch for Admiral HT Felt (4 Star), the Commander in Chief Pacific (CINCPAC) at camp HM Smith in Hawaii.

General Nigro was promoted to Brigadier General in Feb 1964 while assigned to Randolph Air Force Base Texas from August 1963 to July 1966 where he served as Commander of the 3510th Flying Training Wing followed by appointment as the Chief of Staff of the Air Training Command. General Nigro was again promoted to Center Commander, Sheppard Technical Training Center, Sheppard AFB, Texas in 1965 where he was promoted to Major General.

Among General Nigro’s declarations and awards are the Legion of Merit with 2 Oak Leaf clusters, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star, the Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf clusters and the Joint Service Commendation Medal. General Nigro retired from the air force on October 1st, 1967, as a Major General. Remarkable he had received his promotion to Major General (2 Star) at the age of 47.

Source – September 29, 1966 – “The Sheppard Senator” newspaper vol 18. No. 39