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“The Legion of Merit for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service from 11 January 1951 to 28 February 1953 is awarded posthumously to Colonel <em>James R. Luper</em>, 1448A, United States Air Force.”</p>
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Jim earned similar citations many times over the years I have known him. His passing lost one of the great soldiers of the Air Force. Thousands of officers who gained their commissions through Randolph Field, Maxwell Field and The Officers Training School at Miami, Florida, knew and admired Jim. He was their first contact with the military and the fine example he set is still the subject of many hours of reminiscing by men all over the world.</p>
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However, we “graduated cadets” knew him even better and our admiration and respect for him was deeper. We remember those days in July 1934 when Jim, the accomplished soldier from Schofield Barracks, made most of us look a little clumsy in our drill. The outstanding boxer during our Plebe Year turned out to be Jim. He became famous as a musician. His fame in both the pugilistic and musical art spread as our cadet years marched on. All the music of our last three <em>Hundredth Night Shows</em> was the inspiration and genius of this gladiator from the west.</p>
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Upon graduation the Air Force received an accomplished officer who was dedicated to the Service and to the West Pointer’s creed. Jim was a natural pilot and a gifted leader. He was immediately recognized for his outstanding soldierly qualities and retained at Randolph Field to assist in the training of Aviation Cadets. More important assignments quickly followed—Director of Training and Commandant of Cadets, Army Air Forces Pre-Flight School, Maxwell Field, Alabama; Executive for Training and Operations, Army Air Forces OCS and OTS, Miami Beach, Florida.</p>
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Training was fine but Jim was a fighter. After dozens of requests he was finally sent to England in command of a Bomber Group of the Eighth Air Force. He led his group in operations over Europe until shot down and imprisoned by the Germans.</p>
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After the war there was a succession of Service Schools. No one took his schooling more seriously, and Jim became an avid student of the principal subjects taught in our higher staff and command schools. He became somewhat of an authority on strategy and organization. He wrote many articles on these subjects and spoke to dozens of civilian groups.</p>
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While assigned as a group commander at Tucson, Arizona, General Curtis LeMay recognized Jim’s outstanding qualities and assigned him as Chief of Security, Strategic Air Command. The present concept of Air Force Security is Jim’s brainchild. He established a Security School at Camp Carson and again trained thousands of officers and airmen.</p>
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In February of this year, he was informed that he would soon be transferred to Washington to be the Air Provost Marshal General. While returning to Omaha from an inspection tour of several bases, Jim requested a Ground Control Approach (Radar) to assist him in his landing at Offutt Air Force Base. The night was bitterly cold and snow filled the air. There was a crash—and then silence. Jim had joined “the Long Gray Line.”</p>
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<em>—Bertram C. Harrison, Colonel, USAF</em></p>
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