George Clement McDonald was born in Philadelphia, Pa., in 1892. He received his schooling in his native city. He was associated with aviation in its early pioneering days, and had experience with the Wright and Bleriot types of airplanes.

During World War I, he enlisted as a flying cadet in the Aviation Section, Signal Corps. He received ground school training at Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, and flying training at Rich Field, Waco, Texas, being appointed a second lieutenant in the Aviation Signal Corps Reserve May 14, 1918.

He served briefly as flying instructor at Rich Field and at Payne Field, Miss., and in July, 1918, joined the First Provisional Wing at Garden City, Long Island, N.Y., serving with that organization at various fields until October 1918, when he was placed in charge of flying at Hazelhurst Field, Long Island. His next station was Mitchel Field, N.Y., where he joined the Fifth Aero Squadron.

During 1919, he was placed on temporary duty with Army Intelligence and the Department of Justice for seven months. It resulted in the apprehension and conviction of Grover Cleveland Bergdoll and associates, America's World War I number one draft dodger. General McDonald was officially recognized as the one who organized and effected Bergdoll's arrest.

On July 1, 1920, he was appointed a second lieutenant of Air Service in the Regular Army and that same date was promoted to first lieutenant.

In March 1921, he went to Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., for duty as student armament officer. At the same time he functioned as test pilot for the drop tests of bombs being developed for General Billy Mitchell's bombing of battleships off the Virginia Capes and Cape Hatteras. The following May he joined the 94th Squadron at Langley Field, Va., and participated in the actual bombing of battleships.

In September 1921, he was assigned to the Army School of Aerial Photography at Langley Field and, upon graduation in June 1922, remained at the field for duty with the 50th Observation Squadron. He assumed command of the 20th Photographic Section at Langley Field in August 1922, and served in that capacity for four years.

Assigned to duty at France Field, Panama Canal Zone, he served as post and group photographic officer of the Sixth Composite Group until July 1927, when he assumed command of the l2th Photo Section at France Field, at the same time functioning in fighter and bomber operations.

Upon completing his tour with the Panama Canal Department, he assumed command of the Second Photo Section at Langley Field, Va., and served in this capacity from September 1929, to August 1930, when he was assigned as a student at the Air Corps Tactical School at Langley Field.

Upon graduation in June 1931, he became adjutant of the Second Bombardment Group and commanding officer of Headquarters Squadron at Langley Field. In February 1932, he was ordered to Washington, D.C. for duty in the Training and Operations Division at Air Force headquarters.

In April 1933 he went to Patterson Field, Fairfield, Ohio, for a two month tour of duty at the Joint Anti-Aircraft-Air Corps exercises as intelligence officer. From February to June 1934, he served at Headquarters Army Air Corps Air Mail Operations as intelligence officer and then became photographic-observation-attack officer in the Training and Operations Division. From August to October 1935, he was assistant to the chief of the Training and Operations Division, and subsequently became assistant chief of the Operations and Training Section, War Plans and Training Division.

In February 1936 he was transferred to Mitchel Field, N.Y., where he assumed command of the 97th Observation Squadron. In August of the following year he was assigned as a student at the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., and upon graduation in June 1938, was assigned to Langley Field as plans and operations officer of the Second Wing. In addition, he served as intelligence officer of the Second Wing until February 1939. He then transferred to Maxwell Field, Ala., for the special Naval Operations course at the Air Corps Tactical School.

In April 1939, he became assistant air attache at the American Embassy at London, England. He became assistant military attache in September 1939, and from July to October 1940, served concurrently as assistant military attache and assistant air attache.

General McDonald was named assistant to the Assistant Chief of Air Staff for Intelligence at Air Force headquarters in July 1941, and the following October was named as member of the Military Mission in the Office of the Coordinatory of Information (later renamed Office of Strategic Services) in Washington. In January 1942, he became a member of the Military Mission of the Board of Analysts in the Office of the Coordinator of Information, and the following March was assigned to the War Department General Staff.

In September 1942, he was assigned to the European theater as intelligence officer of the Eighth Air Force. In December 1942, he intelligence officer of the 12th Air Force and headquarters of the Northwest African Air Forces, Allied Air Forces in North Africa and the Mediterranean. In February 1944, he became director of intelligence, U.S. Strategic Air Forces in Europe.

Following V-E Day, he became director of intelligence of the U.S. Air Forces in Europe.

He returned to the United States in January 1946, and was assigned to Air Force headquarters as assistant chief of air staff for intelligence. Under the National Defense Act, he became director of intelligence for the U.S. Air Force in October 1947.

In June 1948, he became chief of the Air Section of the U. S. Military Commission at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

He returned to the United States in June 1950, for duty at Air Force headquarters in Washington, D.C., and the following month was assigned to the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel at that headquarters.

McDonald retired on October 1, 1950. He died on May 1, 1969.

 

 

En 1947, alors qu'il enquête sur la nature des ovnis, le FBI demande à l'USAF si certains de ses projets secrets pourraient expliquer ce phénomène. Le 5 Septembre, celle-ci répond par la négative, sous la plume du général Schulgen : ni l'US Army ni l'US Navy n'ont le moindre projet de recherche en matière de construction aéronautique pouvant être apparenté aux disques volants. 10 jours plus tard cependant, le responsable du FBI de San Francisco intercepte un message confidentiel de l'USAF indiquant que l'armée doit s'occuper des témoins crédibles et laisser au FBI les cas douteux et les affaires de sièges de W-C. Hoover, patron du FBI, s'étrangle alors de colère et envoie, furibond, une lettre au général George C. McDonald, du Pentagone, dans laquelle il annonce au nom du Bureau cesser définitivement toute enquête sur le sujet. A partir de ce jour, le FBI niera officiellement toute implication dans les enquêtes sur les ovnis. Cette décision sera officialisée le 1er Octobre, par le biais du bulletin du FBI n° 59 : toutes informations relatives aux ovnis doivent être adressées à l'USAF. Cet automne-là, McDonald recommande que la T-2 ne s'occupe plus que des questions de renseignements.

 

Sources:

http://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/106278/major-general-george-c-mcdonald/