Joseph Taggart McNarney (August 28, 1893 – February 1, 1972) was a four-star general in the United States Army and in the United States Air Force, who served as Military Governor of occupied Germany.
Early life
Joseph Taggart McNarney was born on August 28, 1893, at Emporium, Pennsylvania. He graduated from the United States Military Academy in June 1915 (as part of "the class the stars fell on") and was commissioned a second lieutenant of Infantry. McNarney served with the 21st Infantry at Vancouver Barracks, Washington, and with the 37th Infantry at Yuma, Arizona. In July 1916 he became a first lieutenant and began flight training at the Signal Corps Aviation School at San Diego, California. One year later he was rated as a Junior Military Aviator and detailed to the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps. He became an instructor in meteorology and radio telegraphy. McNarney was promoted to captain in May 1917 and posted to the 1st Aero Squadron at Columbus, New Mexico, until August 1917.
Military career
World War I
McNarney went to France in August 1917. After two weeks as a student at the French Flying School at Avord, he served four months at Issoudun, where the 1st Aero Squadron was helping organize an aviation instruction school for the Air Service AEF, and at Amanty. He was an observer at the front with the 4th French Army at Chalons-sur-Marne for a week before becoming director of the 2d Corps Aeronautical School in February and March 1918. In April McNarney served as a member of the staff of the Assistant Chief of Air Service, Zone of the Advance until May 8. He was then made a flight commander in the 1st Aero Squadron, where he led observation flights in the Toul sector for two months. He was promoted to major in June 1918 and flew with the IV Corps Observation Group in July.
During the Chateau Thierry offensive he both commanded the 1st Corps Observation Group and served as chief of the III Corps' air service. After two weeks staff duty assisting in the organization of the new First Army Air Service in August, he commanded the IV Corps Observation Group during the St. Mihiel offensive and the V Corps Observation Group during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. With the formation of the Second Army Air Service in October 1918, he became Air Service officer to the VI Corps and later commanded the VI Corps Observation Group to February 1919, when he became commanding officer of the Second Army Observation Group. In April 1919 McNarney was attached to the American Expeditionary Force Headquarters in Paris to write a manual on air observation and was promoted to lieutenant colonel in May.
Between the wars
McNarney returned to the United States in October 1919 to take charge of the flying school at Gerstner Field, Louisiana. McNarney experienced the chaotic ups and downs in rank common to Regular officers following the reorganization of the Army by the National Defense Act of 1920. He first reverted to his permanent rank of captain of Infantry on 21 February 1920. On 1 July 1920, when the Air Service became a combatant arm of the line, he transferred to the Air Service as a captain, then was promoted to major on the same date by virtue of a provision in the National Defense Act that allowed officers who earned their rank in service with the AEF to retain it. On 4 November 1922 he was discharged when Congress set a new ceiling on the number of majors authorized the Air Service and reappointed as a captain, then promoted again to major on 16 June 1924.
McNarney went to Langley Field, Virginia, in November 1920 as a student in the Air Service Field Officers School and remained there as an instructor until 1925. McNarney graduated with honors in June 1926 from the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. The Air Service became the Air Corps in July and McNarney served the next three years in the Air Section of the Military Intelligence Division of the War Department General Staff. In August 1930 he completed the Army War College course and went to March Field, California, as commandant of the Air Corps Primary Flying School, moving with it to Randolph Field, Texas. He succeeded Major Carl A. Spaatz as commanding officer of the 7th Bomb Group in October 1931, and on occasion concurrently served under Spaatz as executive officer of the 1st Bomb Wing at March Field.