View source for Loren G. McCollom

{{short description|United States Army general}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix  =
| name              = Loren G. McCollom
| honorific_suffix  =
| image         = File:Loren G. McCollom FRE 002550.jpg
| image_upright =
| alt           = Lieutenant Colonel Loren G. McCollom with his P-47 Thunderbolt
| caption       = Lieutenant Colonel Loren G. McCollom with his P-47 Thunderbolt
| nickname      = Mac
| birth_date    =  {{birth date|1914|04|15}}
| birth_place   = [[Ritzville, Washington]], US
| death_date    = {{Death date and age|1982|05|15|1914|04|15}}
| death_place   =
| placeofburial_label =
| placeofburial =
| placeofburial_coordinates = <!-- {{Coord|LAT|LONG|display=inline,title}} -->
| allegiance    =
| branch        = [[United States Army Air Forces]]<br />[[United States Air Force]]
| serviceyears  = 1939–1968
| serviceyears_label =
| rank          =
| rank_label    =
| servicenumber = <!-- Do not use data from primary sources such as service records -->
| unit          =
| commands      = [[61st Fighter Squadron]]<br />[[353rd Fighter Group]]<br />[[67th Tactical Reconnaissance Group]]
| battles_label =
| battles       =
| awards        =[[Silver Star]]<br />[[Legion of Merit]]<br />[[Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)|Distinguished Flying Cross]]<br />[[Bronze Star]]<br />[[Air Medal]]<br />
| memorials     =
}}
'''Loren G. McCollom''' (April 15, 1915 – May 15, 1982) was a fighter pilot during World War II and a [[Major general (United States)|major general]] in the [[United States Air Force]].<ref name="Bowman2009">{{cite book|author=Martin W. Bowman|title=US 8th Army Air Force Fighter Command USAAF, 1943-45: P-38 Lightning, P-47 Thunderbolt and P-51 Mustang Squadrons in East Anglia, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ijJ_cR4s91IC&pg=PA123|date=1 January 2009|publisher=Casemate Publishers|isbn=978-1-84415-905-5|pages=123–}}</ref><ref name="Quann2005">{{cite book|author=C. James Quann|title=WSU Military Veterans: Heroes and Legends|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lHbxAAAAMAAJ|year=2005|publisher=Tornado Creek Publications|isbn=978-0-9740881-5-0}}</ref><ref name="RustHess1968">{{cite book|author1=Kenn C. Rust|author2=William N. Hess|title=The Slybird Group: The 353rd Fighter Group on Escort and Ground Attack Operations|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LjgvAAAAMAAJ|year=1968|publisher=Aero Publishers|isbn=9780816897629}}</ref> He flew a [[P-47 Thunderbolt]] based in England and was shot down over France in November 1943 and was a [[prisoner of war]]. He was commander of the [[67th Tactical Reconnaissance Group]] during the [[Korean War]].
==Early life and education==
Loren G. McCollom was born in Ritzville, Washington in 1914 and graduated from [[Ritzville High School]] in 1932. He attended [[Washington State College]] in Pullman and graduated in 1937.<ref name="USAF">{{cite web |url=http://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/106322/major-general-loren-g-mccollom/ |title=Major General Loren G. McCollom |work=U.S. Air Force |access-date=2018-05-13 }}</ref>
McCollom joined the [[United States Army Air Corps]] in 1939 was commissioned as a reserve second lieutenant in 1940. His first assignment was aircraft commander in the [[8th Pursuit Group]] at [[Langley Field]], Virginia.
==World War II==
McCollom was assigned command of the [[6lst Fighter Squadron]], [[56th Fighter Group]] in 1942. In August 1943 he assumed command of the [[353rd Fighter Group]] in England and was promoted to lieutenant colonel.<ref name="USAF" />
On 25 November 1943 McCollom P-47D Thunderbolt was hit by flak while strafing the Ft. Rouge Aerodrome, [[Saint-Omer]], France.<ref name="AAMB">{{cite web |url=http://www.americanairmuseum.com/person/150054 |title=Loren G McCollom |work=American Air Museum in Britain |publisher=Imperial War Museums |access-date=2018-05-13 }}</ref> He survived but was severely burned and spent the remainder of the war as a POW at [[Stalag Luft I]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.merkki.com/mccollomloren.htm |title=World War II - Prisoners of War - Stalag Luft I – Lt. Col. Loren G. McCollom |access-date=2018-05-13 }}</ref>
==Korea==
After World War II, McCollom was deputy commander of the [[1st Fighter Group]] at [[March Air Force Base]], in California. He was promoted to colonel and took command of the 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Group.<ref name="USAF" />
He was transferred to Headquarters [[Tactical Air Command]] at [[Langley Air Force Base]] in Virginia, Va. He command the [[67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing]] in Korea in 1952 and spent a year in [[Tokyo]], at the [[Far East Air Forces]] headquarters.
==Cold War era==
After returning from the Asia, McCollom was assigned to Headquarters [[Air Defense Command]] in [[Colorado Springs, Colorado]].<ref name="USAF" />
In June 1958, he was transferred to [[Hanscom Air Force Base]] in Massachusetts. He was promoted to brigadier general in November 1958.
== Military decorations==
McCollom's decorations include a Silver Star with oak leaf cluster, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Commendation Ribbon, Purple Heart and Air Force Outstanding Unit Award.
==See also==
*[[Eighth Air Force]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McCollom, Loren G.}}
[[Category:1915 births]]
[[Category:1982 deaths]]
[[Category:United States Army personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:World War II prisoners of war held by Germany]]
[[Category:American prisoners of war in World War II]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Silver Star]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)]]
[[Category:United States Army generals]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Air Medal]]
[[Category:People from Ritzville, Washington]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Washington (state)]]