Seth Jefferson McKee (November 6, 1916 – December 26, 2016) was a United States Air Force general who served as Commander in Chief, North American Air Defense Command/Commander in Chief, Continental Air Defense Command from 1969 to 1973. Early life McKee was born in 1916, in McGehee, Arkansas. Following graduation from Cape Girardeau High School in Missouri in 1934, he attended Southeast Missouri State Teachers College for three years and the University of Oklahoma for a half year. He began his military career in 1935, as a member of the Missouri Army National Guard, and his Army Air Corps career as an aviation cadet in February 1938. He graduated from flight training in February 1939. Military career From February 1939 until January 1944, McKee served in operations and command positions at squadron and group levels. He then went to the European Theater of Operations and was named deputy commander of the 370th Fighter Group in England. He assumed command of the 370th Group in November 1944 and served in France, Belgium and Germany. During World War II he logged more than 190 hours in 69 combat missions in the P-38 Lightning and is credited with destroying two enemy aircraft. At the end of World War II he returned to the United States and served with the 3501st Army Air Forces Bases Unit at Boca Raton Army Air Field in Boca Raton, Florida as commander of the Army Air Forces Radar School. In January 1947 he entered the University of Oklahoma as a student officer and graduated in August 1947 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in government. After graduation McKee was assigned to Headquarters, Twelfth Air Force, March Air Force Base, California, where he was chief of the Operations and Training Division and later director of plans. In July 1948 he entered Air Command and Staff School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. After graduation he served as director of the Air Force Reserve at Twelfth Air Force until April 1950. In May 1950 he was assigned to the Air Force Section of the Military Assistance Advisory Group in Rome, Italy, as chief, Technical Advisor to the Italian Air Force. He held this position until July 1951, when he was assigned to Headquarters United States Air Forces in Europe, as chief of the Training Branch, Operations and Training Division. In December 1951 he was appointed commander of the 36th Fighter Bomber