Osmond J. Ritland

Osmond Jay Ritland (30 October 1909 – 23 March 1991) was a United States Air Force (USAF) major general who played an important role in the development of the American ballistic missiles.

Ritland attended San Diego State College for three years before joining the United States Army Air Corps in 1932. He left in 1935 to become a pilot for United Airlines, but returned when he received a regular commission in 1939. During World War II he served as a test pilot at Wright Field and was involved in the development and testing of many of the aircraft used by the United States during and immediately after the war, and he was one of the first pilots to fly jet aircraft. In the latter part of the war he served in the China Burma India Theater as commander of the Assam Air Depot.

After the war he returned to Wright Field, where he was involved in the development of the ejection seat. In 1950 he organized and commanded the 4925th Test Group (Atomic), which handled the development and testing of equipment related to USAF nuclear weapons. His unit assisted the United States Atomic Energy Commission and the Armed Forces Special Weapons Project in evaluating the effects of nuclear tests. In 1955 and 1956 he was the deputy manager of the project that developed the Lockheed U-2 spy plane with the Central Intelligence Agency. He then became the manager of the USAF WS-117L project, the USAF component of the space program, and the deputy manager of the CORONA spy satellite project, another joint venture with the CIA. He was the first recipient of the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal in 1962, and his work in support of NASA's Project Mercury and Project Gemini was recognized with the award of its NASA Exceptional Service Medal in 1965.

Early life Osmond Jay Ritland was born in Berthoud, Colorado, on 30 October 1909. He attended San Diego State College for three years before joining the United States Army Air Corps as a flying cadet at Randolph Field, Texas, in 1932. He earned his wings at March Field, in May 1939, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. He served as a fighter pilot and flew airmail until 1935, when he left active service to become a pilot for United Airlines.

World War II Ritland received a regular commission and returned to active duty with the Army Air Corps in 1939. He was initially assigned to Hamilton Field, California, but later that year, he was transferred to Wright Field, Ohio, for a five-year tour of duty as a test pilot.

In December 1944, Ritland was sent to the China Burma India Theater (CBI), where he commanded the Assam Air Depot until February 1946. and was buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego, California. He was survived by his wife Martha and two daughters.