General Herbert James Gavin (2009)

BROWN, DAVIES, DELONG, GAVIN, OGLE, SIDERAS

Posted By: Kent Transier
Date: 11/8/2023 at 18:03:24

The Sacramento Bee
Sacramento, California
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Page 23, Columns 1-4

Wartime pilot Herbert J. Gavin, 97, later led McClellan Air Force Base

Herbert J. Gavin, a retired Air Force major general and veteran fighter pilot of two wars who served as head of McClellan Air Force Base died Saturday at age 87.

He died of complications related to back problems said his son Patrick.

Gen. Gavin retired from the Air Force in 1978 after three years as commander of the Air Logistics Center at McClellan. Under his watch the base was responsible for maintaining managing and supplying about 4300 planes worldwide. mostly fighters.

His expertise in logistics led to top assignments from bases in the United States and Asia to the Pentagon. He also held key positions in operations and commanded the Air Force’s first F-111 wing, the 474th Tactical Fighter Wing at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.

Gen Gavin was a command pilot with more than 6000 flying hours including 170 combat missions. He flew more than 70 types of aircraft.

He flew in the China-Burma-India theater of operations during World War II. In 1968 he became deputy operations commander for the 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing in Vietnam. He received many military decorations including the Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross and Bronze Star.

“What got him the two stars (major general rank) was his specialty in logistics” said his son, a retired Navy carrier pilot. “But he was probably most proud of his flying”.

Herbert James Gavin was born in 1921 near Winterset, Iowa to a bridge builder and homemaker. He began military service as an aviation cadet in 1942 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant within a year. He left active duty after the war and joined the California Air National Guard. He graduated from Northrop Institute of Technology in 1949 and worked for North American Aviation Co. until he was recalled to active duty in 1951.

A graduate of the Air War College he had a bachelor’s degree in military science from the University of Maryland and a master’s degree in international affairs from George Washington University He was promoted to the rank of major general in 1973.

Gen Gavin was married for 37 years to the former Doris Brown, who died in 1983. He was predeceased by four of their six children: a son Kenneth who died shortly after birth; a daughter Alison, in 1976; a son Michael, in 1993; and a daughter, Stephanie in 2008. He married Helene Sideras in 1995.

Gen Gavin was proud of serving his country, his family said. After his military retirement he was a vice president of California Vision Services and president of the Comstock Club. He disliked speaking to large gatherings but was gregarious in informal groups, said his daughter, Ann DeLong. He enjoyed swapping stories at regular lunches with longtime friends.

“He could tell great stories and knew minute details about any country overseas” said Lee Greer, a retired Air Force major general, who led McClellan from 1985 to 1988. “He had the best memory of anybody I knew”.

Herbert J Gavin born: Nov 15 1921, died: June 27 2009. Survived by: Wife Helene of Fair Oaks, daughter Ann DeLong of Yorktown, Va., son Patrick of Carlsbad, sister Mary Helen Ogle Davies of Walnut Creek, and five grandchildren. Services: Mass of Christian burial 2 pm today at Divine Savior Catholic Church, 9079 Greenback Lane, Orangevale.

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