David F. Wherley Jr.

David F. Wherley Jr.
Major General David F. Wherley Jr.
Born(1947-02-09)February 9, 1947
DiedJune 22, 2009(2009-06-22) (aged 62)
Washington, D.C.
Buried
Arlington National Cemetery
AllegianceUnited States United States
Service / branch United States Air Force
Years of service1969–2008
Rank Major General
Commands121st Fighter Squadron
201st Airlift Squadron
113th Wing
District of Columbia National Guard
Battles / warsGlobal War on Terrorism
Awards
Spouse(s)Ann Strine

David Franklin Wherley Jr. (February 9, 1947 – June 22, 2009) was a United States Air Force Major General who served as commander of the District of Columbia National Guard.[1]

Early life

Wherley and his future wife, Ann, attended York Catholic High School together in their hometown of York, Pennsylvania. They graduated in 1965, and married on July 19, 1969.[2]

Career

Wherley began his military career in 1969 when he received his commission as a second lieutenant through the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program at Fordham University. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Fordham, and in 1977 gained a Master of Business Administration from the University of Maryland, College Park.[1]

After he was released from active duty Wherley served in a number of staff assignments with the National Guard in Maryland, and for a short time deployed as the deputy operations group commander for fighters at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. As a pilot and instructor, he clocked up more than 5,000 hours of flying time over a multitude of missions.[1]

Wherley gained his first command in 1985 with the 121st Fighter Squadron, and went on to command Detachment 1 (later to be re-designated 201st Airlift Squadron).[1]

At the time of the 9/11 attacks in 2001, Wherley was commander of 113th Wing, the Guard unit responsible for protecting Washington D.C. That morning, Wherley ordered his pilots, who did not launch until after the Pentagon attack, to operate weapons free, meaning that they were permitted to shoot at will.[3]

Wherley was appointed commanding general of the District of Columbia National Guard in 2003. He retired from that position and from the Air Force in 2008.[1]

Death

Main article: June 2009 Washington Metro train collision

On June 22, 2009, Wherley and his wife Ann were killed in a collision between two Red Line trains, shortly after concluding a volunteer orientation program at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center.[4][5]

The Wherleys were interred together at Arlington National Cemetery on June 30, 2009.[6][2][a]

Assignments

  1. September 1969 – September 1970, student, undergraduate pilot training, 3576th Student Squadron, Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma.
  2. September 1970 – October 1972, T-38 instructor pilot, 3553rd Pilot Training Squadron, Moody Air Force Base, Georgia.
  3. October 1972 – October 1973, T-38 class commander, 3550th Student Squadron, Moody Air Force Base, Georgia.
  4. October 1973 – September 1978, F-105 pilot, 121st Fighter Squadron, Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland.
  5. September 1978 – June 1982, flight safety officer, National Guard Bureau, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
  6. June 1982 – June 1985, F-4 instructor pilot, 121st Fighter Squadron, Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland.
  7. June 1985 – December 1985, operations officer, 121st Fighter Squadron, Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland.
  8. December 1985 – July 1987, commander, 121st Fighter Squadron, Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland.
  9. July 1987 – March 1989, director of operations, Headquarters, District of Columbia Air National Guard, Washington, D.C.
  10. March 1989 – November 1995, commander, Detachment 1/201st Airlift Squadron, Headquarters, District of Columbia Air National Guard, later Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland.
  11. November 1995 – December 1997, vice commander, 113th Wing, Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland.
  12. January 1998 – April 1998, deputy commander for operations (fighters), 4404th Wing (Provisional), Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia
  13. May 1998 – June 2003, commander, 113th Wing, Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland.
  14. July 2003 – 2008, commanding general, District of Columbia National Guard, Washington, D.C.

Flight information

Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: More than 5,000
Aircraft flown: General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II, Lockheed T-33, Northrop T-38 Talon, Republic F-105 Thunderchief, C-21 Learjet, Boeing C-22, C-38 Courier

Awards and decorations

Width-44 crimson ribbon with a pair of width-2 white stripes on the edges Legion of Merit
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Width-44 crimson ribbon with two width-8 white stripes at distance 4 from the edges.
 Meritorious Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster
Air Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
 Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with four bronze oak leaf clusters
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
 Combat Readiness Medal with three bronze oak leaf clusters
Width=44 scarlet ribbon with a central width-4 golden yellow stripe, flanked by pairs of width-1 scarlet, white, Old Glory blue, and white stripes National Defense Service Medal
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Width-44 ribbon with the following stripes, arranged symmetrically from the edges to the center: width-2 black, width-4 chamois, width-2 Old Glory blue, width-2 white, width-2 Old Glory red, width-6 chamouis, width-3 myrtle green up to a central width-2 black stripe
 Southwest Asia Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters
Silver oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
 Air Force Longevity Service Award with one silver and one bronze oak leaf cluster
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with one gold hourglass
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon
District of Columbia Distinguished Service Medal

Notes

  1. ^ The date of death on the Wherley's headstones is June 23 – the day after the train crash. Some bodies were not discovered in the train wreckage until June 23

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Maj. Gen. David F. Wherley Jr., former Commanding General, wife, Ann, killed in Metro accident" (PDF). District of Columbia National Guard press release. June 23, 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 15, 2015. Retrieved February 14, 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Service for Maj. Gen. Wherley, wife, Ann, Monday 6 p.m.; Internment at Arlington National Cemetery Tuesday, 11 a.m" (PDF). District of Columbia National Guard press release. June 26, 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 15, 2015. Retrieved February 14, 2015.
  3. ^ National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (2004). The 9/11 Commission Report. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. p. 44. ISBN 0-393-32671-3.
  4. ^ "Mourning continues for Metro victims". The Washington Times. July 1, 2009. Retrieved February 14, 2015.
  5. ^ "NTSB criticizes Washington Metro over 2009 crash". CNN. July 28, 2010. Retrieved February 14, 2015.
  6. ^ Burial Detail: Wherley, David F – ANC Explorer

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Air Force