General David schlatter's talents for all his country
Thursday, Janusry 26, 1989

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Pix #1 - This photo if Genreal and Mrs. Schlatter was taken on the terrace of their (Village La costa) in florence, Italy, when he was Nato's first commander of Allied Air forces, southern Europe.

Pix #2 - This photo shows david schlatter in the cockpit of an ovserver plane when he was a flying instructor (about 1936)

(Author's Note: Almost a year ago, Feb 18. 1988, to be exact, Potluck published an article about Brigadier Genreal George F. Schlatter, a native of fostoria, At that time it was intended to follow up with an article about George's older brother, General David Myron schlatter, a 1919 graduate of Fostoria High School. Needless to say, I am very tardy, but hiere it is today. The information for today's article was furnished by Anne Schlatter Cook, the da;ughter of General Schlatter, a resident of Boerne, Texas. Mrs. cook also provided information about all of the memeber of General Schlatter's family which witll update readers.)

Broad experience in the military

For four years David Schlatter was a flying instructor at Brooks Field and March Field, Calif. He was reassigned to France Field, Panama Canal zone, and thereafter resumed duties as flying unstructor at March Filed and Randolph Field, Texas.

He graduated from air corps Tactical School, Maxwell Field, Ala., and was transferred to Godman Field, fort Knox, Hy, as an operations and intellengence officer.

After graduating from the command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., he was assigned to the advanced flying School at Keloy Field as director of flying and then moved to Moffett Field, calif., as director of training of the West Coast Air Corps Training Center, serving later as executive and chief of staff.

He had advanced to the grade of lieutenant colonel by Novermber 1941.

Assigned to Army Air Force Headquarters, Washington, D.C.

In February 1942, he was assigned to Army Air Forces Headquarters in Washington as director of air suppoer and was promoted to colonel in March.

A year later, he became deputy chief of staff of air training command at Fort Worth, Texas. If September 1943, when promoted to brigadier general, he was attending the Army and Navyt Staff college.

The following january, he was designated seputy chief of staff for operations of the Ninth Air force in the European Therater.

Was neamed senioy air staff officer

In August 1944, General Schlatter was named senor air staff officer, Allied Expeditionary Air Force, moving with the advanced echekib ti Nirmnanbd kater tgat nibtg,

On establishment of Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary forces in Paris in October of 1944, he was assigned as deputy chief of air staff, and commanding general of the United States Strategic air forces in Europe.

His promotion ot major general occurred in January 1945.

Returned to U.S. to work plan post war work

Returning from Europe in late 1945, General Schlatter's initial assignment was to develop plans for the creation of a post-war carerr officer school system for the Army Air Forces.

He was the school's first acting commander and later the deputy comminging general for education of what later became known as the Air force's Air university. In 1950, he organized anwas first commander of Air Reasearch and development command.

In 1951 he returned to Europe to organize and become first commander of the North Atlantic Traty Organization's Alied Air forces. Southern Europe,. In that assignmanet, he was promoted to lieutenant general in 1952.

Returned to the U.S. in 1954

Genergal Schlatter returned from Euroope to take command of the Armed Forces Staff Ciollege July 1, 1954, and served in that position until his retirement dure to physical disability July 31, 1957.

He then settled in San Antonio, Texas, where he engaged in voluntary civic duties with Christ Episcopal church, United Fund, Symphony sociery of |San Antonio and others.

He was a member of the Military Order of World Wars; The Order of Daedalians (Stinsons Flight); the Air Force Association (Alamo Wing); The Retired Officers Association;' the Association of Graduates, United States Military Academy; the West Point Society of southwest Texas; and the Army and Navy Club, Washington, D.C.

Awarded many U.S> decorations

His U.S. decorations included the distinguished Service Medal with Oak Leaf cluster, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star and Air Medal.

His many foreighn decorations include honors from Great Britain, France, Greece, Italy and the Netherlands. He was a reted command Pilot, combat Observer and Aircravt Observer.

Deceased Dec 14, 1973

General Schlatter passed away Dec. 14, 1973. A memorial service took place Dec. 17 at Christ episcopal Church in San Antonio. After cremation, burail services were held with full military honors at Roselawn Cemetery, fort Sam Houston. Texas.

Information is available upon request

Anne Schlatter cook (General Schlatter's daughter) memtioned earlier in this article, provided information, other thatn the preceding. It may be of interet to some readers, but not the majority.

\any readers who would like to know more about General Schlatter's children and grandchildren should drop Pltluck a note requesting same and it will be provided by mail if you include an addressed and stamped envelope.

Interesting personal remarks about fathher

Here are some paragraphs from General Schlatter's daughter, Anne Schlatter Cook:

"You can be sure that if Dad were alive today, he and Mother would what attended his 65th West Point Reunion held in May 1988."

"dad's career (from 1923-1955) spanned the years of unprecedented buildup of airpower and he was totally dedicated to his beloved Air Force and the motto of West Point: Duty, Honor, country."

"Daddy was alsways interested in young people and terribly proud of his seven grandchildren. He cheered thier successer wht the phrase...`That's the stuff!'...and the `grands' still repeat those words to one another when someone in the family does something super."

"My father was an avid reader of history and philosophy all his life and I remember so much of what we discussed while I was growing up. He had great integrity and towards the last exhibited a special kind of courage in his battle against cancer.:

"It's not what happens to you in life, it's how you take it, he would say ... and he lived it."

"Mother is 84 now and lives in her own apartment at Morningside Meadows, a retirement complex in San Antonio. She sends her best regards to you and is pleased you are doing the article."

Heed God's word

"And now, Israel,m what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walin all his wasy, and to love him, and to seve the Lord thy God with all Thy heard and with all thy soul"....Deuteronomy 10:12.