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FB: Nuclear family. Grandson of Enola Gay pilot to take over B-2 unit.
The grandson of the pilot who flew the Enola Gay will now command the Air Force's stealth nuclear bomber unit.
Brig. Gen. Paul W. Tibbets IV will has been nominated to command the 509thBomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh announced Friday today. Tibbets is currently the deputy director of nuclear operations for U.S. Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska.
Tibbets, who achieved the rank of brigadier general last summer, is one of a few Air Force pilots who have flown the three bombers — the B-1, B-2 and B-52, according to the Air Force. His grandfather, Brig. Gen. Paul Tibbets Jr., flew the Enola Gay on the mission to bomb Hiroshima, Japan, on Aug. 6, 1945.
Other The following general officer announcements were also announced today:
- Brig. Gen. Nina M. Armagno is selected for promotion to the rank of major general and assignment as director of requirements for Air Force Space Command at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. She Armagno is the commander of the 45th Space Wing and director of the Eastern Range at Patrick Air Force Base, Florida.
- Brig. Gen. Wayne R. Monteith, is selected to replace Armagno for assignment as commander of the 45th Space Wing and director of the Eastern Range at Air Force Space Command at Patrick. He Monteith is the senior military assistant to the secretary of the Air Force at the Pentagon.
- Col. Christopher A. Coffelt is selected for promotion to the rank of brigadier general and assignment as commander of the Spaatz Center for Officer Education and commandant of the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. He Coffelt is the deputy director of current operations for U.S. Strategic Command.
- Brig. Gen. Anthony Cotton is selected for promotion to the rank of major general and assignment as commander of 20th Air Force and commander of Task Force 214 for U.S. Strategic Command at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. He Cotton is the commander of the Air Force Element at the National Reconnaissance Office at Chantilly, Virginia.
- Maj. Gen. Stephen Denker is selected for assignment as deputy director and commander of the Air Force Element of the National Reconnaissance Office.
- Col. Andrew Gebara is selected for promotion to the rank of brigadier general and assignment as deputy director of nuclear operations for U.S. Strategic Command at Offutt. Gebara is senior military assistant to the undersecretary of the Air Force at the Pentagon.
- Brig. Gen. Michael A. Minihan is selected for assignment as deputy director of operations for U.S. Pacific Command at Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii. Minihan is deputy director of air and cyberspace operations for Pacific Air Forces at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.
- Brig. Gen. Dirk D. Smith is selected for assignment as director of air and cyberspace operations for Pacific Air Forces at Hickam. Smith is the deputy director of operations for U.S. Pacific Command at Camp H.M. Smith.
- Brig. Gen. Stephen N. Whiting is selected for assignment as director of air, space and cyberspace operations for Air Force Space Command at Peterson. Whiting is vice command of the Air Force Warfare Center at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.
