Major General

Lucius Theus
MajGen Lucius Theus, USAF
Birth nameLucius Theus
Born(1922-10-11)October 11, 1922
Madison County, Tennessee, US
DiedOctober 15, 2007(2007-10-15) (aged 85)
Buried
Arlington National Cemetery
AllegianceUnited States of America
Service/branchUnited States Army Air Forces
Years of service1946–1979
RankMajor General
Unit332nd Fighter Group[1]
Awards
Alma mater
University of Maryland, bachelors, George Washington University MS Harvard Business School and Madonna University honorary degree.
[2]

Lucius Theus (October 11, 1922 – October 15, 2007) was an American military officer and aviator. A Tuskegee Airman during World War II, he became the third black Major General in the United States Air Force.[1]

Early life

Theus was born in Madison County, Tennessee.[3] According to the Official DEOMI (Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute) website, General Theus chaired the military task force that resulted in Defense Directive 1322.11 which in 1971 established the military's Race Relations Board and resulted in the founding of the DEOMI then known as the DRRI.[4]

Military service

His tour of duty began in World War II as a private in the Army Air Corps. He retired as a Major General. His service career included stops in Tuskegee, Germany, France, Greece, and Vietnam, and led him to command of the Air Force Accounting and Finance Center and an Assistant Directorship of the Defense Security Assistance Agency.[2]

He spent much of his military career developing and implementing administrative systems to improve the life of the average airman and soldier. Programs such as direct deposit for military payrolls and better human relations are prime examples. While assigned to the Pentagon, he chaired the inter-service task force where his recommendations led to a Department of Defense-wide race relations education and policy development, and establishment of the forerunner to the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute. He retired from the Air Force in 1979.

Theus was the first African American support officer and the third overall to be appointed general in the U.S. Air Force. He was also the first African American to attend Harvard Business School's six-week Advanced Management Program.[3][2]

Awards

Education

Theus graduated with a bachelor of science degree from the University of Maryland in 1956 and a master's degree in business administration from The George Washington University in 1957.[6]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Evans, Farrel (October 30, 2020). "6 Renowned Tuskegee Airmen". A&E Television Networks, LLC. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "MajGen Lucius Theus, USAF (Ret)". airandspace. Smithsonian. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 "Retired Major General Lucius Theus U.S. Air Force". Michigan Military and Veterans Hall of Honor. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  4. ↑ "About DEOMI". defenseculture.mil. Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute or the Department of Defense. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  5. ↑ "Public Law 109-213 – Apr. 11, 2006 Congressional Gold Medal to the Tuskegee Airmen" (PDF). Congress.gov. US Library of Congress. April 11, 2006. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  6. ↑ "Official biography". Archived from the original on February 9, 2004. Retrieved May 9, 2006.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
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