John L. Borling

Last updated
John Borling
John Borling Flight Suit.JPG
John Borling in a flight suit, July 2012
Born (1940-03-24) March 24, 1940 (age 83)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branch United States Air Force
Years of service1963–1996
Rank Major General
Commands held 57th Air Division (1987–88)
86th Fighter Group (1982–84)
94th Fighter Squadron (1976–79)
Battles/wars Vietnam War
Awards Defense Distinguished Service Medal (2)
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
Silver Star
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit (2)
Distinguished Flying Cross (2)
Bronze Star Medal (3)
Purple Heart (2)
John Borling after return to the US John Borling Welcome Home.jpg
John Borling after return to the US
Medals Awarded Major General John Borling Medals.JPG
Medals Awarded
John Borling and his wife Myrna John Borling and Wife.JPG
John Borling and his wife Myrna

John Lorin Borling (born March 24, 1940) is a retired major general of the United States Air Force whose military career spanned 33 years. He has piloted many aircraft including the F-15, F16, F-4, the SR-71 Blackbird, the U-2, and B-52 and B-1 bombers. [1] During the Vietnam War, his aircraft was shot down and he spent 6½ years as a prisoner of war in Hanoi. [2]

Contents

Education

Borling attended the United States Air Force Academy, and was subsequently a graduate of the National War College and executive programs at the John F. Kennedy School of Government and the Harvard Business School. He was a White House Fellow and, later, treasurer and director of the White House Fellows governing foundation and for many years a regional selection panel member.

Military career

Borling was a fighter pilot during the Vietnam War, where he was shot down by ground fire. Seriously injured in his crash, Captain Borling still attempted to commandeer a Vietnamese supply truck for his escape. He was able to gain control of a supply truck, but the truck was carrying Vietnamese regulars. [3] Borling was soon overpowered by the soldiers and would spend the next 6½ years as a prisoner of war in Hanoi. [2] John Borling was released on February 12, 1973.

Subsequent to his return, Borling was an F-15 Eagle fighter pilot and commander of the "Hat in the Ring" squadron. He was an Air Division commander at Minot AFB, and Head of Operations for Strategic Air Command (SAC) in Omaha. In that position, he directed SAC's support of hostilities in the first Gulf War and Panama and was charged with execution responsibilities for the nation's nuclear war plan. At the Pentagon, he led CHECKMATE, a highly classified war fighting think tank and was Director of Air Force Operational Requirements helping initiate a new family of guided weapons. In Germany, he commanded the largest fighter and support base outside the United States and later served at NATO's Supreme Headquarters in Belgium working directly for the Supreme Commander and Chief of Staff. He was central to the creation of HQ North in Norway and served as Chief of Staff of that integrated NATO/National command.

Writing

Borling created Taps on the Walls: Poems from the Hanoi Hilton : a collection of poems he wrote during his time in captivity.

Civic activities

Civic activities include: The Commercial Club of Chicago, Trustee, The Lincoln Academy of Illinois, Chicago Host Committee, The Medal of Honor Society Convention, President, Sister Lakes Michigan Land Conservancy, Inductee, Illinois Aviation Hall of Fame, Who's Who in America, and numerous other local and national organizations. The Chicago Crime Commission, Member. [4]

In 2004, Borling was a candidate in the Republican Primary for the United States Senate. He finished sixth with 2.0% of the primary vote.

Awards and decorations

A highly decorated officer, Borling's awards include: the Defense Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star Medal with "V" device and two oak leaf clusters, Purple Heart with oak leaf cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, and the Prisoner of War Medal. [2] [5]

Borling was inducted as a Laureate of The Lincoln Academy of Illinois and awarded the Order of Lincoln (the State’s highest honor) by the Governor of Illinois on November 6, 2021. [6]

His publications

Personal life

Borling is married to his high school sweetheart, Myrna, also from Illinois. They have two daughters. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles L. Veach</span>

Charles Lacy Veach was a United States Air Force (USAF) fighter pilot and NASA astronaut.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John R. Dallager</span> United States Air Force general

John Rives Dallager is a retired United States Air Force major general. He served as the fifteenth Superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy from 2000 to 2003. He resigned the position in the wake of the sexual assault scandal at the academy and was demoted from the rank of lieutenant general to major general upon his retirement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tad J. Oelstrom</span> United States Air Force general

Tad J. Oelstrom is a retired United States Air Force Lieutenant General who served as the Director of the National Security Program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. He also served as the fourteenth Superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeffrey Feinstein</span>

Jeffrey S. Feinstein is a retired career officer of the United States Air Force (USAF). During the Vietnam War, Feinstein was a weapon systems officer, an integral part of two-man aircrews with the emergence of air-to-air missiles as the primary weapons during aerial combat. Flying aboard F-4 Phantom IIs, Feinstein downed five enemy aircraft, thereby becoming a flying ace, the last of five U.S. aviators to become aces during that conflict and to date still the most recent aviator to achieve ace status in the U.S. military.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George B. Simler</span> United States Air Force general

George Brenner Simler was a United States Air Force general, who served as commander of the U.S. Air Force's Air Training Command.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles R. Hamm</span> United States Air Force general

Lieutenant General Charles R. Hamm is a retired United States Air Force (USAF) lieutenant general who served as the eleventh Superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert E. Kelley</span> U.S. Air Force lieutenant general (1933–2021)

Robert E. Kelley was a United States Air Force lieutenant general, the ninth Superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He retired as a lieutenant general on September 1, 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timothy A. Kinnan</span> United States Air Force general

Timothy Alan Kinnan is a former lieutenant general in the United States Air Force; he retired from active duty in September 2004.

John Emmett Pitts Jr. was a brigadier general in the United States Air Force and was director of the International Staff of the Inter-American Defense Board.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carlos Talbott</span> United States Air Force general

Carlos Maurice Talbott was a United States Air Force officer who attained the rank of lieutenant general and was vice commander in chief of the Pacific Air Forces, headquartered at Hickam Air Force Base.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James H. Kasler</span> US Air Force officer and only three time recipient of the Air Force Cross

Colonel James Helms Kasler was a senior officer in the United States Air Force and the only person to be awarded the Air Force Cross three times. The Air Force Cross ranks just below the Medal of Honor as an award for extraordinary heroism in combat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John A. Dramesi</span> US Air Force officer, Vietnam War-era POW

John Arthur Dramesi was a United States Air Force (USAF) colonel who was held as a prisoner of war from 2 April 1967 to 4 March 1973 in both Hoa Lo Prison, known as "The Hanoi Hilton", and Cu Loc Prison, "The Zoo", during the Vietnam War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dean C. Strother</span> United States Air Force general

Dean Coldwell Strother was a United States Air Force four-star general who served as U.S. Military Representative, NATO Military Committee (USMILREP), from 1962 to 1965; and as Commander in Chief, North American Air Defense Command/Commander in Chief, Continental Air Defense Command (CINCNORAD/CINCONAD), from 1965 to 1966. He also served in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenneth North</span> United States Air Force general

Kenneth Walter North was a brigadier general in the United States Air Force as well as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War. After his release, he commanded various units and was eventually promoted to general in 1982.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James P. McCarthy</span> United States Air Force general

James P. McCarthy is a retired United States Air Force general. His last assignment before retirement was as Deputy Commander in Chief of the United States European Command. In retirement, McCarthy has served on a number of corporate and government advisory boards, as well as serving as the ARDI Professor of National Security at the United States Air Force Academy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walter P. Paluch Jr.</span> United States Air Force general

Walter P. Paluch Jr. was a brigadier general in the United States Air Force.

John Frederick Nichols is a retired major general in the United States Air National Guard and the former Adjutant General of Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael J. Ingelido</span> United States Air Force general

Michael Joseph Ingelido was an American Air Force major general who was commander of the Fourteenth Aerospace Force,, Ent Air Force Base, Colorado.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leon F. "Lee" Ellis</span> Air Force colonel

Leon F. "Lee" Ellis is a retired United States Air Force colonel, award-winning author, speaker, and consultant. Ellis gained notoriety when, as a fighter pilot in the Vietnam War, he was shot down, captured, and spent 5+12 years as a prisoner of war in Hanoi and surrounding areas with former presidential candidate and Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and others. His capture occurred on November 7, 1967, and he was released on March 14, 1973. He was one of the youngest, junior members in the camps. Ellis is an international speaker and consultant on the subjects of leadership and human performance, organizational integrity, operational effectiveness, and personal accountability. He frequently consults with various organizations—from small businesses to Fortune 500 organizations on these subjects. Ellis' latest book, Leadership Behavior DNA: Discovering Natural Talents and Managing Differences was published in 2020 with co-author Hugh Massie. Engage with Honor: Building a Culture of Courageous Accountability published in 2016 and his last award-winning book, Leading with Honor: Leadership Lessons from the Hanoi Hilton published in 2012, share his POW experience and the leadership principles that helped him and his compatriots resist, survive, and return with honor. His previous book, Leading Talents, Leading Teams, was published by Northfield Publishing and shares in-depth team concepts on how to lead and manage based on individual, innate gifts and talents. Additionally, Lee has co-authored three additional books and workbooks on career planning.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jon A. Reynolds</span> U.S. Air Force officer (1937–2022)

Brigadier General Jon Anzuena Reynolds was a United States Air Force (USAF) officer who served in the Vietnam War. He was a prisoner of war in North Vietnam from November 1965 to February 1973. Following his release from captivity he continued his USAF career, finally serving as assistant deputy director for attachés.

References

  1. "MAJOR GENERAL JOHN L. BORLING".
  2. 1 2 3 "Major General John L. Borling Biography". Airforce History and Biography of Notable Officers. United States Air Force. Archived from the original on 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2012-10-17.
  3. Krol, Eric. "I was able to compete". Illinois Senate Race Archives. Daily Herald. Retrieved 26 November 2012.
  4. USAFA. "USAFA Class Histories". USAFA Class Archives. United States Air Force Academy. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  5. "Military Award Recipients". Military Times Hall of Valor. Gannett. Archived from the original on 2012-06-09. Retrieved 2012-10-17.
  6. The Lincoln Academy of Illinois. "57th Laureate Convocation – Chicago History Museum".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. "Veteran Tributes". Veteran Tribute Organization. Veteran Tributes. Retrieved 14 November 2012.