- Date Of Birth: February 21, 1921
- Date Of Death: February 25, 2021
- Occupation: Air Force lieutenant general
- City: Shalima
- State: Florida
Leroy Joseph Manor (February 21, 1921 – February 25, 2021) was a United States Air Force Lieutenant General who began his career serving as a P-47 fighter pilot in World War II, and in numerous command positions during the Vietnam War era. General Manor is perhaps best known as task force commander of Operation Ivory Coast, a special forces raid on the prisoner of war camp at Son Tay, Vietnam on November 21, 1970.
Born in Morrisonville, New York, on February 21, 1921, Manor graduated in 1937 from Cadyville High School, in Clinton County, New York, and then received his Teacher’s Certificate from New York State Normal School in 1940. Manor entered aviation cadet training in November 1942 and received his pilot wings and commission upon graduation in August 1943. During World War II, Lt. Manor flew 72 combat missions as a P-47 pilot with the 358th Fighter Squadron in Europe, and was later assigned to the 100th Fighter Wing, also in Europe.
In September 1945, Captain Manor was assigned as a pilot at the Air Proving Grounds, Fla. He attended New York University during 1946–47 and received a Bachelor of Science degree in education. For the next six years, Manor was an instructor, first at Tactical Air School, Tyndall Air Force Base; next at the newly formed Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base; and last at the Air-Ground Operations School, Southern Pines, North Carolina.
From September 1953 to June 1955, Major Manor was a staff officer with the 6th Allied Tactical Air Force (NATO) at Izmir, Turkey. He returned in July 1955 to assume command of the 2242d Air Reserve Flying Center at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan. Manor entered the Armed Forces Staff College in July 1958. Upon graduation Lt Col Manor was assigned in August 1959 to the 27th Tactical Fighter Wing, Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, where he commanded the 481st Tactical Fighter Squadron, equipped with the F-100 Super Sabre.
In July 1960, Manor transferred to Headquarters, United States Air Forces in Europe, where he was Chief, Tactical Evaluation Division, until July 1963, when he entered the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. In June 1964, Colonel Manor was assigned to Headquarters US Air Force in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and Operations, where he served successively in the Directorate of Operations as Chief, Plans and Capabilities Branch; Chief, Analysis of Southeast Asia Operations Study Group; and as Chief, Operations Review Group.
In May 1968, he assumed command of the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing at Phu Cat Air Base in the Republic of Vietnam where he completed 275 combat missions in F-100s, primarily in South Vietnam. In June 1969, he was named Commander of the 835th Air Division at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. Brigadier General Manor became Commander of the US Air Force Special Operations Force, precursor to the Air Force Special Operations Command, in February 1970.
In February 1971, General Manor became Deputy Director for Operations/Special Assistant for Counterinsurgency and Special Activities, Joint Staff at Washington, D.C. He was transferred to the Philippines in February 1973 to become Vice Commander, 13th Air Force, Pacific Air Forces, at Clark Air Base. He was 13th Air Force Commander from October 1973 until October 1976, when assigned duty as Chief of Staff, Pacific Command. He was promoted to the grade of lieutenant general on November 1, 1976, with same date of rank. Lieutenant General served as the Chief of Staff, United States Pacific Command, from October 12, 1976 until his retirement from the Air Force on July 1, 1978. Following retirement, he represented the Joint Chiefs of Staff and CINCPAC as senior military negotiator and advisor to the US Ambassador to the Philippines for the Military Bases Agreement (MBA). He also was military advisor for an independent analysis of Operation Eagle Claw, the unsuccessful April 24, 1980, raid to rescue 52 Americans held during the Iran hostage crisis. Manor died on February 25, 2021, 4 days following his 100th birthday. – Available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License from Wikipedia.
