Gordon E. Williams

Gordon E. Williams (born 1935) is a retired United States Air Force officer. A command pilot with more than 4,000 flying hours, he flew numerous Air Force and Navy aircraft. Upon his retirement on 1 August 1988, he was the director for plans and policy, J-5, Headquarters United States European Command, Stuttgart-Vaihingen, West Germany.

He was the commander of the 81st Tactical Fighter Wing, being stationed at RAF Bentwaters, England, in 1980 at the time of the Rendlesham Forest incident.

Biography General Williams was born in 1935, in Nashua, New Hampshire, and graduated from Alvirne High School, Hudson, New Hampshire, in 1953. He earned a bachelor of science degree in general engineering from the U.S. Military Academy in 1957 and a master of science degree in systems management from the University of Southern California in 1971. He completed Air Command and Staff College in 1969, National War College in 1975 and Harvard University's executive program on national and international security in 1983.

Service Williams entered pilot training in August 1957 and received his wings at Laredo Air Force Base, Texas, in September 1958. After gunnery training at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, and Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, he was assigned to the 510th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Clark Air Base, Philippines, in September 1959, flying F-100 Super Sabres. He subsequently was assigned to the 612th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 401st Tactical Fighter Wing, England Air Force Base, Louisiana. He represented the wing at William Tell 1962, the worldwide tactical gunnery meet. During this assignment, Williams also attended the Air Force Fighter Weapons School at Nellis Air Force Base and the Army Airborne School at Fort Benning, Georgia.

In June 1985 he became commander of the 13th Air Force, Pacific Air Forces, Clark Air Base. In March 1987 he was assigned as assistant deputy chief of staff for programs and resources at Air Force headquarters. He was later assigned as director for plans and policy, J-5, Headquarters United States European Command, Stuttgart-Vaihingen, West Germany.