Barney M. Giles

Barney McKinney Giles (September 13, 1892 – May 6, 1984) was an American military officer who helped develop strategic bombing theory and practice. Giles stepped outside established bomber doctrine during World War II to develop long-range capabilities for fighter aircraft

Early career Barney McKinney Giles was born on a farm near Mineola, Texas in 1892 to Richard Portlock Giles and Louisa (Read) Giles. He and his identical twin, Benjamin Franklin Giles, both attended East Texas Normal College and taught school for three years. Giles attained the rank of second lieutenant in April 1918 and flew with the 168th Aero Squadron in France for a year. Giles resigned his commission in September 1919, Benjamin in October.

Major Barney Giles commanded the 20th Bomb Squadron at Langley Field in Virginia for a year and moved up to operations officer of the 2d Bomb Group there in July 1936. In May, Giles went to Guam to join Major General Curtis LeMay in planning the strategy of bombing industrial and petroleum targets in Japan. In June, Giles backed Admiral Charles A. Lockwood's plan to hold airman-submariner conferences with the goal of improving air-sea rescue operations. Giles was appointed deputy commander of United States Strategic Air Forces in the Pacific under General Carl Andrew Spaatz on July 5, 1945. Giles witnessed Japan's surrender aboard the battleship . then on to Washington D.C. At that date it was the longest non-stop Army Air Forces flight, it was the first non-stop flight from Japan to the U.S., and the bomb bay filled with fuel was the heaviest load ever lifted by a B-29. In October, Giles became commanding general of the U.S. Strategic Air Forces in the Pacific; he held this position until his retirement on June 30, 1946.

Giles's twin brother Benjamin also served at high level in the Army Air Forces and retired from the military in September 1946 at the rank of major general.

Honors General Giles' awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster; Distinguished Flying Cross; Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters, and the Navy Distinguished Service Medal. He was appointed honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1945. Giles earned a doctorate degree in aeronautical engineering from Pennsylvania Military College. Further awards include the Mexican Medal of Military Merit, the Honoris Causa from the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, and the Order of the Cloud and Banner presented by President Chiang Kai-shek of China.

Civilian life After retirement from the military, Giles served as vice president of Air Associates, Inc. in New York for three years. Subsequently, he worked for ten years with Swiss American Aviation Corporation, later known as Learjet, helping to develop the automatic pilot and other instrumentation. Giles was a member of the Order of Daedalians.

Giles married Hollyce Thomas (1896–1968) in San Antonio, Texas on April 18, 1922; the 46-year marriage produced no children. After her death in 1968, he married Laura Edwards in 1969. Giles's twin brother Benjamin died in 1974. Laura Edwards Giles died in the early 1970s, and Barney Giles married Katherine Elizabeth Gregg, on October 11, 1975. Giles died of complications of pneumonia on May 6, 1984, in San Antonio, and was buried with full military honors.