Editing David C. Jones (section)

==Military career==
[[File:David C. Jones in front of Strategic Air Command B-52.jpg|thumb|222x222px|Colonel David C. Jones (third from right) at [[Barksdale Air Force Base|Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana]] while serving at the [[Strategic Air Command]] in January 1957.|alt=|left]]In February 1943, Jones graduated from [[Walker Air Force Base|Roswell Army Airfield]] flight school in [[New Mexico]], received his [[Aircrew brevet|pilot wings]], and was commissioned a [[second lieutenant#United States|second lieutenant]] in the United States Army Air Forces. After serving as a flying instructor in New Mexico, [[Arizona]] and [[Texas]], Jones was assigned to the 3rd Emergency Rescue Squadron of the Fifth Air Force in Japan in 1945. He began as a unit pilot, flying [[Consolidated PBY Catalina|Catalina flying boats]], and rose to command the squadron.

From 1948 to 1949 Jones was a unit instructor and then assistant operations and training officer with the 2236th Air Force Reserve Training Center, [[Godman Army Airfield|Godman Field, Kentucky]]. Also during this period, he attended specialized professional military training courses.

Jones was assigned to the [[19th Special Operations Squadron|19th Bombardment Squadron]] at [[March Joint Air Reserve Base|March AFB]], [[California]], in January 1950. During his years with the 19th, he rose to aircraft commander, then operations officer and finally commander of the squadron. He flew more than 300 hours on combat missions over [[North Korea]], when the squadron was one of the first bombardment units committed to the Korean War. In May 1953 he transitioned from bombers to tankers, taking command of the [[22d Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron|22nd Air Refueling Squadron]] at March. Promoted to [[lieutenant colonel]] in June 1953, he remained at March but returned to bombers the following year as commander of the [[33d Flying Training Squadron|33rd Bombardment Squadron]].<ref>Joint History Office (2000), ''The Chairmanship of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 1949–1999'' {{ISBN|0-16-050638-7}}</ref>

[[File:DavidCJonesSolo.jpg|thumb|left|CPTP Students Solo 1940]]
Jones next served at [[Strategic Air Command|Headquarters Strategic Air Command]] (SAC), [[Offutt AFB]], [[Nebraska]], during SAC's build-up period. He was assigned initially in September 1954 as an operations planner in the bomber mission branch and remained there until January 1955, when General [[Curtis E. LeMay|Curtis LeMay]] selected him as his aide. Promoted to [[colonel]] in April 1957, Jones became director of materiel and later deputy commander for maintenance of SAC's [[93d Air-Ground Operations Wing|93rd Bombardment Wing]] at [[Castle Air Force Base|Castle AFB]], California.

Jones was a 1960 graduate of the [[National War College]]. Following that, Jones was assigned to the Air Staff's operations directorate for four years. As chief of the manned systems branch, he worked on the [[North American XB-70 Valkyrie|B-70]] bomber project. He then served as deputy chief and chief of the Strategic Division. After [[North American F-100 Super Sabre|F-100]] and [[Douglas F4D Skyray|F-4]] training, Jones assumed command of the [[33d Fighter Wing|33rd Tactical Fighter Wing]], [[Eglin Air Force Base|Eglin AFB]], [[Florida]], at its activation in 1965 and bought it to operational status.

Jones then served in key staff assignments with [[United States Air Forces in Europe]]. He received his second star in November 1967. In February 1969 Jones was assigned to Headquarters Seventh Air Force, [[Tan Son Nhut Air Base|Tan Son Nhut Airfield]], [[Vietnam]], as deputy chief of staff for operations and became vice commander in June. Promoted to [[lieutenant general]], he returned to SAC in August 1969 as commander of the [[Second Air Force]], headquartered at [[Barksdale Air Force Base|Barksdale AFB]], [[Louisiana]].

In April 1971, Jones returned to United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) as vice commander in chief. He assumed command of USAFE and the [[Fourth Allied Tactical Air Force]] in August and was promoted to [[General (United States)|general]] in September. In his [[North Atlantic Treaty Organization]] (NATO) capacity as commander of the Fourth Allied Tactical Air Force, Jones directed an international planning team that integrated central region air forces into a more cohesive organization. Key to that effort was his creation of a small operational and planning headquarters, [[Allied Air Command|Allied Air Force, Central Europe]].