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AIR FORCE Magazine / May 2008 37 The title General of the Army for Henry H. Arnold was changed to General of the Air Force by an act of Congress May 7, 1949. The position of Chief of Staff was established by a DOD-approved Army-Air Force Transfer Order issued Sept. 28, 1947. aThe Army Air Corps became a subordinate element of the Army Air Forces June 20, 1941. Since the Army Air Corps had been established by statute in 1926, its disestablish- ment required an Act of Congress, which did not take place until 1947. Between March 9, 1942, and Sept. 18, 1947, the Army Air Corps continued to exist as a combatant arm, and personnel of the Army Air Forces were still assigned to the Army Air Corps. Commander (at highest rank) Chief, Aeronautical Division Capt. Charles deForest Chandler Capt. Arthur S. Cowan Capt. Charles deForest Chandler Maj. Samuel Reber Chief, Aviation Section Lt. Col. Samuel Reber Lt. Col. George O. Squier Lt. Col. John B. Bennet Director of Military Aeronautics Maj. Gen. William L. Kenly (Kept same title three months into absorption by Air Service) Director of Air Service John D. Ryan Maj. Gen. Charles T. Menoher Chief of Air Service Maj. Gen. Charles T. Menoher Maj. Gen. Mason M. Patrick Chief of Air Corps Maj. Gen. Mason M. PatrickMaj. Gen. James E. Fechet Maj. Gen. Benjamin D. Foulois Maj. Gen. Oscar WestoverMaj. Gen. Henry H. Arnold Chief, Army Air ForcesLt. Gen. Henry H. Arnold Commanding General, AAF Gen. of the Army Henry H. Arnold Gen. Carl A. Spaatz Chief of Staff, USAF Gen. Carl A. Spaatz Dates of Service Aug. 1, 1907-June 30, 1910 July 1, 1910-June 19, 1911June 20, 1911-Sept. 9, 1913Sept. 10, 1913-July 17, 1914 July 18, 1914-May 5, 1916 May 20, 1916-Feb. 19, 1917 Feb. 19, 1917-May 20, 1918 May 20, 1918-August 1918 Aug. 28, 1918-Nov. 27, 1918 Jan. 2, 1919-June 4, 1920 June 4, 1920-Oct. 4, 1921 Oct. 5, 1921-July 2, 1926 July 2, 1926-Dec. 13, 1927 Dec. 14, 1927-Dec. 19, 1931 Dec. 20, 1931-Dec. 21, 1935 Dec. 22, 1935-Sept. 21, 1938 Sept. 29, 1938-June 20, 1941 June 20, 1941-March 9, 1942 March 9, 1942-Feb. 9, 1946 Feb. 9, 1946-Sept. 26, 1947 Sept. 26, 1947-April 29, 1948 The Nation’s Air Arm and Its Early Leaders Designation Aeronautical Division, US Signal Corps Aug. 1, 1907-July 18, 1914 Aviation Section, US Signal Corps July 18, 1914-May 20, 1918 Division of Military Aeronautics, Secre- tary of War May 20, 1918-May 24, 1918 Army Air Service May 24, 1918-July 2, 1926 Army Air Corps July 2, 1926-Sept. 18, 1947a Army Air Forces June 20, 1941-Sept. 18, 1947 United States Air Force Sept. 18, 1947