Archie J. Old Jr. (August 1, 1906 – March 24, 1984) was a lieutenant general in the United States Air Force. Early life Old was born in Farmersville, Texas, on August 1, 1906. Military career Old flew 43 combat missions against Germany. On October 14, 1943, Old led the second raid on the Schweinfurt ball-bearing factories in the Fertile Myrtle III. Of 291 B-17s that reached the target, 60 were downed by flak or enemy fighters, for a loss rate of 20 percent. On June 21, 1944, Old led the second shuttle bombing run to Russia. The B-17 that Col. Old was in for the first Schweinfurt mission aborted, so Col. Curtis Lemay and BGen. Robert Williams led the first Schweinfurt raid on 17 August; Col. Old and Col. Budd Peaslee led the second Schweinfurt raid on 14 October 1944. On June 21, 1944, Col. Old led the second Shuttle Mission to Russia. In July 1948 he was named commander of the Atlantic Division of the Military Air Transport Service. In 1951 Old got two of SAC's important overseas jobs of commanding the 7th Air Division in England and the 5th Air Division in French Morocco. Old retired September 1, 1965. He died March 24, 1984, at the base hospital at March Air Force Base. Commands held Other achievements Military awards Distinguished Service Cross Air Force Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star with oak leaf cluster Legion of Merit Distinguished Flying Cross with four oak leaf clusters Purple Heart Air Medal with eight oak leaf clusters Foreign decorations French Legion of Honor Belgian Croix de guerre with Palm Russian Order of Suvorov French Croix de Guerre with Palm British Distinguished Flying Cross French Moroccan Order of Ouissam Alaouite Television appearance Old appeared, playing himself, in "Massacre", a 1966 episode of the television show Twelve O'Clock High. References Anzovin, Steven, Famous First Facts, H. W. Wilson Company, New York 2000, Notes United States Air Force generals Recipients of the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal Recipients of the Legion of Merit United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II People from Farmersville, Texas United States Army Air Forces officers 1906 births 1984 deaths Recipients of the Silver Star Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States) Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States) Military personnel from Texas