William J. Maddox Jr.

Flying into enemy fire, he supplied troops and located tanks

William J. Maddox Jr. built a career that joined frontline flying with ground command and the development of Army aviation. Born in Newburgh, New York, on 22 May 1921, he enlisted in the Army Reserve in 1942, entered active service in 1943 and received his cavalry commission after Infantry Officer Candidate School in July 1944. He served during the Second World War and earned his pilot wings in 1946, followed by assignments in the Philippines and Japan.

Combat flying in Korea

Maddox landed in Korea with the 1st Cavalry Division in July 1950. His first Distinguished Flying Cross recognized fifty combat missions between 22 July and 9 August. Flying an unarmed liaison aircraft under enemy fire, he gathered intelligence, directed fighter attacks and dropped supplies and messages to isolated troops. He operated from short, rough airstrips despite strong winds, turbulence and poor visibility.

A further Distinguished Flying Cross citation describes a reconnaissance mission north of Waegwan during which Maddox and another pilot discovered seven enemy tanks waiting to ambush South Korean troops. Maddox called for fighter strikes and kept tracking the surviving tanks until his fuel ran low, then passed their positions to another aircraft. He later returned to Korea as aide-de-camp to General Bruce C. Clarke.

Command in Vietnam

Maddox commanded the 13th Aviation Battalion from July 1965 to August 1966, then served as senior adviser to the 21st South Vietnamese Infantry Division. Returning in 1969, he commanded the 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, before taking command of the 164th Aviation Group in December.

In the Mekong Delta, he reorganized aviation assets into flexible task forces supporting South Vietnamese formations. Battalion commanders coordinated directly with the divisions they supported, making aviation more responsive to ground operations. His seventh Distinguished Flying Cross recognized operations in March 1970, when he voluntarily accompanied his units on missions under hostile fire to maintain effective command and control.

Building Army aviation

Maddox became Director of Army Aviation in 1970 and later commanded the Army Aviation Center and its school at Fort Rucker. He retired as a major general in 1976. The Army Aviation Museum records 10,582 flying hours, including 3,997 combat hours. His decorations included the Army Distinguished Service Medal, four Silver Stars, five Legions of Merit, eight Distinguished Flying Crosses, the Soldier's Medal, four Bronze Stars, four Purple Hearts and 127 Air Medals.

After retirement, he advised King Hussein of Jordan and held leadership roles in helicopter businesses in Saudi Arabia and Asia. He died on 5 January 2001 and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.