|
|
Clyde F. Autio
General Autio retired from the Air Force in June, 1989. Since then he has been involved in both community service and ministries to the Armed Forces. He is active in his local church; past Chairman and of the Board of Trustees of the National Aviation Hall of Fame; former chairman of the aviation events committee for the Dayton Inventing Flight's 100th anniversary of powered flight; past member of the board of directors for the Greene County Crisis Pregnancy Center; has had over sixty articles published in Christian periodicals and is the author of a published Christian book. He has spoken to foreign government officials, Christian and public audiences about the role of Christians in the military and the Christian roots of our nation.
General Autio was born July 25, 1931, in Lead S.D., he graduated from Lead High School in 1949. His interest in aviation was born and nurtured through World War II history. He started flying, under the instruction of Mr. Clyde W. Ice, a pioneer aviator and 'Patriarch of South Dakota Aviation', South Dakota Transportation Hall of Honor. He received his private pilot license in May 1950. General Autio studied Aeronautical Engineering at Oklahoma A&M College, Stillwater, Oklahoma from 1950 to 1952. He entered the Air Force Aviation Cadet program in February 1953. He graduated, and was commissioned, as a distinguished graduate, in May 1954. His first assignment was as a B-26 pilot in Japan. During his active military career General Autio flew the B-26, B-25, B-29, T-6, T-28, T-29, C-47, C-45, C-54, KC-97, T-33 and other small aircraft.
In 1959 General Autio received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH. In 1960 he received a Master of Science Degree in Aerospace Engineering and was assigned to the Atlas ICBM Site Activation Task Force (SATAF). General Autio was one of the first recipients of the Air Force Missile Badge. During this tour of duty he survived the crash of a United Air Lines DC-8, in which 23 people died. For his rescue efforts General Autio became the first recipient of the Airman's Medal. He left active duty in 1963 after having served as the Atlas Field Service Engineer for systems.
General Autio entered the Scientific and Technical Intelligence (S&TI) career field as a Ballistic Systems analyst with the Air Force Foreign Technology Division (FTD). As a member of FTD he was the Chief, Advanced Plans Division and prior to his retirement he directed the foreign aircraft Reliability, Maintainability and Supportability studies program. During this period General Autio resumed his Air Force career through reserve assignments with the Aeronautical Systems Division, Air Force Intelligence Service and Electronic Security Command.
Following retirement from FTD in September, 1986 General Autio was recalled to active duty as the Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff/Intelligence, Headquarters USAF and Commander of the Air Force Intelligence Service (AFIS). He returned to his reserve duties in March, 1988. At that time he became an adjunct professor for engineering calculus and management at Cedarville University. General Autio was elected to the Xenia City School Board in November 1993.
The general is a senior pilot. His military decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit and Airman's Medal. His civic affiliations include Professional Engineer, State of Ohio; Tau Beta Pi (honorary engineering society); life member of Reserve Officers Association and the Air Force Association (past president); Association of Graduates of the Air Force Institute of Technology, past President of the National Aviation Hall of Fame and a President's Associate of Cedarville University.
General Autio is married to the former Jean Ebert of Baraboo, WI. They met in Japan, where she was an Air Force nurse. They have two married children, Kim Lee and Steve Halula of Mequon, WI; Kerry Autio of Springboro, OH; and three grandchildren, Elizabeth, Christian and Rachel of Springboro, OH.
|
Return to home
|
|
|
|
