Glenn Oscar Barcus was a pioneering U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General whose influence shaped modern air combat tactics, particularly in close air support (CAS). His influence extended from the battlefields of World War II, where he commanded the 64th Fighter Wing and XII Tactical Air Command across Europe, to the skies over Korea, where he led the Fifth Air Force through some of the most intense aerial combat of the war. A master of tactical air operations, he was instrumental in refining air defense strategies, overseeing the evolution of Tactical Air Command, and enhancing pilot training programs in the postwar Air Force.
Barcus was born in 1903 in Genoa, Illinois where his father was the Mayor. He pursued higher education at the University of Illinois at Champaign, where he graduated in June 1924. Soon after, he received a commission as a second lieutenant in the Cavalry Reserve on September 11, 1924. Just under a year later, in June 1925, he transitioned into the Regular Army as a second lieutenant in the Field Artillery. In September 1925, he was stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas, as a member of the Second Cavalry.[1][2][3]
In September 1926 he joined the newly formed Army Air Corps and entered the flight training program at the Primary Flying School at Brooks Field, Texas. He completed the program in February 1927 and immediately advanced to the Air Corps Advanced Flying School at Kelly Field, Texas. His aviation career officially began after graduating, when he was assigned to Selfridge Field, Michigan, where he took on the role of operations officer for the 27th Pursuit Squadron. His time there was brief, and in October 1928, he returned to Brooks Field as a flying instructor. He remained in training roles for several years, moving in October 1931 to Randolph Field, Texas, where he continued instructing pilots until March 1933. The next phase of his career led him to tactical duty in the Pacific. Assigned to Schofield Barracks in Hawaii, he served as intelligence and operations officer for the 18th and 19th Pursuit Squadrons from April 1933 to August 1935.[1]
Returning to the mainland, Barcus took on his first command assignment in September 1935, assuming leadership of the 35th Pursuit Squadron, part of the Eighth Pursuit Group, stationed at General Headquarters Air Force at Langley Field, Virginia. In June 1939, he enrolled in the Air Corps Tactical School at Maxwell Field, Alabama. He completed the rigorous training in September of that year and returned to Langley Field, where he took on the role of operations officer for the 22nd Pursuit Squadron. In March 1941, he was deployed to Puerto Rico, serving as the plans and training officer for the Sixth Interceptor Command at Losey Field. [4][4]:67[5]
World War II
In Dec. 1941, when the United States entered World War II, Barcus was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and placed in command of the 22nd Fighter Squadron, defending the Caribbean region. He then took command of the 36th Fighter Group, that served as part of the defense force for the Caribbean area and the Panama Canal zone, and flew antisubmarine patrols.[6] He held this position until February 1942, when he was transferred to Trinidad to assist in forming the Interceptor Command. By April 1942, he was called back to Washington, D.C., where he took on the role of deputy director of Air Defense at Army Air Force Headquarters.[4]:67
Commands flight training for new P-47 Thunderbolt fighter bombers
Gen. Glenn O. Barcus 1945
In December 1942, Barcus was assigned command of the Philadelphia Air Defense Wing, where he was responsible for overseeing pilot training in preparation for deployment to Europe. Within a week of his arrival, he established the 358th Fighter Group, drawing its pilots from those trained by the Wing’s parent unit, the 327th Fighter Group, based at Richmond Air Force Base. Led by Colonel Nelson P. Jackson, the 327th had been formed as a training unit and by February 1943 it became the primary training group for the newly introduced P-47 Thunderbolts. This marked the beginning of a long professional partnership between Barcus and Jackson, who had previously served together in the defense of the Panama Canal Zone. Their collaboration would continue throughout World War II, shaping air operations across the European theater. Barcus's tenure at the Philadelphia Air Defense Wing lasted until April 1943, when he was promoted to Brigadier General and transferred to Mitchel Field, New York, to take command of the I Fighter Command. Col. Jackson was also transferred to the I Fighter Wing as Barcus's Chief of Staff.[7][8][9][10]
In October 1943 the 358th Fighter Group, the first fully trained P-47 unit, deployed to England and would gain a reputation for executing devastating attacks on German forces in France. Barcus regarded them as the best-organized and best-trained fighter group sent into combat.[11]:9 In December 1944, they returned under his command when assigned to the 64th Fighter Wing, the unit to which Barcus and Jackson would next be transferred.[12][11]:9
Barcus entered wartime service overseas in April 1944, arriving in Naples, Italy and assuming command of the 64th Fighter Wing. Colonel Nelson P. Jackson was transferred alongside him, taking on the role of Chief of Staff for the wing. Their arrival coincided with the introduction of the P-47 Thunderbolt into the Italian Theater, and they were tasked with training the pilots on the new aircraft while in the combat theater. This approach proved highly effective, as the P-47’s firepower and durability, combined with newly developed tactics, inflicted significant losses on German forces in Italy. During this period, Barcus's 64th Fighter Wing played a crucial role in refining close air support operations, developing coordination techniques between ground forces and fighter-bombers that became standard practice for the remainder of the war.[13][14][15][16][17]:16
First Tactical Air Force (Provisional)
64th Fighter Wing Commanders, Glenn O Barcus, and Nelson P Jackson.
In October 1944, multiple Army Air Force and French Air Force units were consolidated into a single unified air force, designated as the First Tactical Air Force (Provisional). It was the only provisional force of its kind formed during the war, created specifically to provide close air support for the U.S. Armies as they advanced into Germany. This new command brought together the most effective air-ground coordination techniques developed throughout the war, integrating units from both the Ninth and Twelfth Air Forces to support ground operations in Northern France. The First Tactical Air Force was established following the link-up of the forces that had invaded Normandy and Southern France earlier that year. Its command structure was led by XII Tactical Air Command and the 64th Fighter Wing, with the 42nd Bomb Wing overseeing bomber operations. By February 1945, Barcus was appointed commanding general of the 12th Tactical Air Command, headquartered near Nancy, France, while Colonel Nelson Parkyn Jackson assumed command of the 64th Fighter Wing.[18]:10[19][20][21]:20,21,98
The First Tactical Air Force proved highly effective, delivering devastating close air support that severely weakened German forces. The impact of its operations, particularly the destruction inflicted by the P-47 Thunderbolts, became the stuff of legend, as their relentless attacks crippled enemy positions and supply lines. He led the command through the final months of the European campaign until he briefly became commander of the 70th Fighter Wing before he was ordered back to the United States in Aug. 1946.[10][22]
Post World War II
Gen. Glenn O. Barcus
Upon is return to the States he was assigned as chief of staff of the Tactical Air Command at Langley Field. In March 1947, he was given command of the 12th Air Force at March Field, California, overseeing operations as the unit later moved to Brooks Air Force Base, Texas.[4]:67[10] In September 1949, Barcus was again given command of the First Air Force, first stationed at Fort Slocum, New York, before relocating a month later back to Mitchel Air Force Base. In July 1950, he was assigned command of the Tactical Air Command at Langley Air Force Base. However, in January 1951, when Lieutenant General John K. Cannon took over Tactical Air Command, Barcus was reassigned as his deputy commander. Just a few months later, in May 1951, he became chief of staff of the command.[23][24]
With the Korean War in full force, Barcus was transferred to Korea in June 1952, where he took command of the Fifth Air Force. For nearly a year, he led the air operations in the Korean theater. He was noted for his analysis of aerial operations and was highly decorated. [1]
Barcus personally flew numerous combat missions in his Sabre jet, often taunting enemy forces over the radio while striking key targets. On May Day, he led a daring 50-plane Sabre raid against the North Korean army headquarters and radio station just north of Pyongyang, one of the most heavily defended anti-aircraft positions in enemy territory. The strike was executed with such speed and precision that the American jets were clear of the target before enemy gunners could react. In another mission, Barcus led a strike that pushed all the way to the Yalu River, the border of Manchuria. Though he never engaged Communist MiG jets directly, he spotted two during the Yalu River mission, both retreating toward safety.[25]
Gen. Barcus's F-86 Saber jet in Korea with "Barcus Carcuss" written on it.
Throughout his flights, Barcus made a habit of broadcasting taunts over the radio frequencies most frequently monitored by enemy pilots. Identifying himself openly, he declared, “This is Gen. Glenn O. Barcus, commander of the U.S. Fifth Air Force. I don’t like the way you are talking about the Fifth Air Force. How did you like the way we were doing today?” [25]Before signing off, he would leave them with a final warning: “We’ll be back... we will smash anything we want up here" and "This is Barcus; come and get me"[4]:67[10][25]
He served in Korea until the end of May 1953, when he returned to the United States to serve as vice commander of Air Training Command.[23] His later career saw him taking on more strategic roles. On July 26, 1954, he was promoted to Lieutenant General and appointed commander-in-chief of the U.S. Northeast Air Command. From 1957 to 1960, the final three years of his career, Lieutenant General Barcus served as chief of staff to Headquarters, United States European Command in Paris.[23][1]
Awards
Gen. Glenn O. Barcus was decorated with the following:[26]
↑ "Glenn Barcus". Hall of Valor: Medal of Honor, Silver Star, U.S. Military Awards. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
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