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33:
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593:. From July 1954 to December 1954 he was chief of the Atomic Energy Division at USAF Headquarters. In this role he was responsible for USAF's nuclear weapons. He then became the special assistant to the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Air Force for Development. In this role he was the USAF's project manager for the
502:
moments before it broke up in mid air. Some of the lines of his parachute were severed, resulting in too rapid a rate of descent. He broke his back on landing and he spent the next few months in a plaster cast. For his services as a test pilot, he was awarded the
1167:
1162:
410:
Ritland received a regular commission and returned to active duty with the Army Air Corps in 1939. He was initially assigned to
Hamilton Field, California, but later that year, he was transferred to
682:. On 15 May 1962, he became deputy commander of the AFSC for Manned Space Flight. For his service as commander of the AFBMD and the Space Systems Division, Ritland became the first recipient of the
514:(CBI), where he commanded the Assam Air Depot until February 1946. For his services in CBI establishing and maintaining the supply system in support of air and ground operations, he was awarded the
1142:
1177:
287:
and was involved in the development and testing of many of the aircraft used by the United States during and immediately after the war, and he was one of the first pilots to fly
1187:
605:(CIA) on 27 June 1955, although this did not become official until a formal agreement between the CIA and the USAF was signed on 4 August. On 12 April 1955, Bissell, Ritland,
538:, and then returned to Wright Field as the chief of the Aircraft Laboratory. During this, his second tour of duty at Wright, he was involved in the development of the
621:. Ritland was on hand to witness the first official flight of the U-2 on 8 August 1955. He returned to the USAF in March 1956. For this service, he was awarded an
1147:
666:
Ritland became the commander of the AFBMD on 25 April 1959 and was promoted to major general in July 1959. In a major reorganization on 1 April 1961, the
1192:
1172:
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504:
234:
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311:
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rockets that the AFBMD also had under development at the time. Thor lacked the power to reach the required orbit, so it was coupled with an
1182:
667:
629:
567:
315:
179:
636:
project, which was the USAF space program. Once again he was deputy to
Bissell, this time working on a spy satellite, which became
829:
723:
531:
81:
1157:
632:(AFBMD) and was promoted to brigadier general in October of that year. He was responsible for the day-to-day management of the
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355:
253:
151:
371:
268:
422:. In this role he was involved in the development and testing of many of the aircraft used by the United States during
602:
488:
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443:
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327:
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511:
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85:
69:
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984:
The
Central Intelligence Agency and Overhead Reconnaissance: The U-2 and OXCART Programs, 1954–1974
484:
431:
411:
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637:
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118:
52:
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spy satellite project, another joint venture with the CIA. He was the first recipient of the
1070:
622:
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446:
617:
on the Nevada Test Site, and selected it as a base for the U-2 project. It became known as
298:
After the war he returned to Wright Field, where he was involved in the development of the
32:
687:
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1021:
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Osmond Jay
Ritland was born in Berthoud, Colorado, on 30 October 1909. He attended
323:
319:
288:
284:
276:
200:
306:(Atomic), which handled the development and testing of equipment related to USAF
656:
653:
610:
554:(Atomic), which handled the development and testing of equipment related to the
387:
334:
project, the USAF component of the space program, and the deputy manager of the
398:
and flew airmail until 1935, when he left active service to become a pilot for
322:. In 1955 and 1956 he was the deputy manager of the project that developed the
660:
547:
419:
280:
1005:
854:
1047:
1020:
Wheeldown, Albert D. (1998). "CORONA: A Triumph of
American Technology". In
519:
147:
597:
spy plane. He became the deputy head of the project, codename
Oilstone, to
830:"Major General Osmond J. Ritland > Air Force > Biography Display"
633:
618:
575:
331:
469:
275:, but returned when he received a regular commission in 1939. During
710:
For the next five years, Ritland was Vice
President for Launch at
874:
872:
695:
415:
343:
256:
who played an important role in the development of the
American
702:
in
November 1965. He retired from the USAF on 1 December 1965.
1168:
730:. He was survived by his wife Martha and two daughters.
644:
rocket, as it was further along in development than the
628:
In April 1956, Ritland became the vice commander of the
1163:
Recipients of the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
1030:
Eye in the Sky: The Story of the Corona Spy Satellites
686:
in August 1962. His work on spaceflight in support of
663:
rocket was successfully launched on 28 February 1959.
1054:
582:. His services were recognized with the award of the
1143:
United States Army Air Forces pilots of World War II
578:. He had operational control of all aircraft at the
550:
in February 1950, where organized and commanded the
1032:. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.
216:
193:
167:
157:
142:
134:
109:
93:
76:
59:
39:
23:
981:Pedlow, Gregory W.; Welzenbach, Donald E. (1992).
990:. Washington, D.C.: Central Intelligence Agency.
758:"Major General Osmond J. Ritland - Inducted 1989"
426:and in the immediate post-war era, including the
291:. In the latter part of the war he served in the
16:United States Air Force major general (1909-1991)
1178:Recipients of the NASA Exceptional Service Medal
902:
890:
878:
849:
847:
678:(AFSC), and Ritland became the commander of its
957:"Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery - Surnames R"
271:in 1932. He left in 1935 to become a pilot for
8:
1188:Burials at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery
510:In December 1944, Ritland was sent to the
491:, becoming one of the first pilots to fly
31:
20:
914:
390:, in May 1939, and was commissioned as a
330:. He then became the manager of the USAF
302:. In 1950 he organized and commanded the
931:"Osmond J. Ritland; Leader in Air Force"
786:
784:
782:
780:
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574:, and developed techniques for sampling
248:(30 October 1909 – 23 March 1991) was a
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752:
750:
748:
746:
744:
742:
738:
925:
923:
824:
822:
820:
818:
816:
814:
812:
722:, on 23 March 1991, and was buried at
591:Industrial College of the Armed Forces
564:United States Atomic Energy Commission
498:In March 1943 he had to bail out of a
312:United States Atomic Energy Commission
230:Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
797:. 24 January 1966. pp. 1004–1005
684:Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
354:was recognized with the award of its
340:Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
295:as commander of the Assam Air Depot.
7:
1148:People from Larimer County, Colorado
668:Air Research and Development Command
630:Air Force Ballistic Missile Division
568:Armed Forces Special Weapons Project
418:, for a five-year tour of duty as a
342:in 1962, and his work in support of
316:Armed Forces Special Weapons Project
180:Air Force Ballistic Missile Division
613:reconnoitered an old airstrip near
483:. He also tested prototypes of the
370:for three years before joining the
267:for three years before joining the
14:
1193:San Diego State University alumni
1173:Recipients of the Legion of Merit
1153:People from Weld County, Colorado
1138:United States Air Force generals
1133:Military personnel from Colorado
1100:
1088:
1076:
1064:
724:Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery
532:Command and General Staff School
146:
98:
82:Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery
959:. San Diego County, California
792:"Congressional Record- Senate"
700:NASA Exceptional Service Medal
640:. Ritland chose to employ the
356:NASA Exceptional Service Medal
1:
714:. He then retired to live in
570:in evaluating the effects of
542:. His next assignment was to
318:in evaluating the effects of
903:Pedlow & Welzenbach 1992
891:Pedlow & Welzenbach 1992
879:Pedlow & Welzenbach 1992
855:"Osmond Ritland - Recipient"
444:North American P-51 Mustang
372:United States Army Air Corps
269:United States Army Air Corps
1183:Recipients of the Air Medal
718:. He died at a hospital in
603:Central Intelligence Agency
489:Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star
467:Consolidated B-32 Dominator
451:Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
328:Central Intelligence Agency
1209:
505:Distinguished Flying Cross
235:Distinguished Flying Cross
832:. United States Air Force
763:. United States Air Force
676:Air Force Systems Command
625:to his Legion of Merit.
512:China Burma India Theater
463:Boeing B-29 Superfortress
440:Republic P-47 Thunderbolt
382:, in 1932. He earned his
293:China Burma India Theater
206:China-Burma-India Theater
30:
1028:; Latell, Brian (eds.).
562:. His unit assisted the
536:Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
310:. His unit assisted the
556:United States Air Force
544:Kirtland Air Force Base
428:Lockheed P-38 Lightning
368:San Diego State College
265:San Diego State College
250:United States Air Force
125:United States Air Force
1158:Aviators from Colorado
698:with the award of its
680:Space Systems Division
599:Richard M. Bissell Jr.
478:Douglas C-54 Skymaster
185:Space Systems Division
121:(1932–1935, 1939–1947)
728:San Diego, California
720:Encinitas, California
716:El Rancho, California
589:Ritland attended the
530:Ritland attended the
500:de Havilland Mosquito
474:Curtiss C-46 Commando
380:Randolph Field, Texas
135:Years of service
86:San Diego, California
70:Encinitas, California
672:Air Materiel Command
670:was merged with the
459:Martin B-26 Marauder
436:Curtiss P-40 Warhawk
138:1932–1935, 1939–1965
485:Bell P-59 Airacomet
432:Bell P-39 Airacobra
326:spy plane with the
1083:Nuclear technology
694:was recognized by
481:transport aircraft
258:ballistic missiles
246:Osmond Jay Ritland
119:United States Army
53:Berthoud, Colorado
1039:978-1-56098-830-4
997:978-1-63450-851-3
935:Los Angeles Times
917:, pp. 33–37.
712:McDonnell Douglas
552:4925th Test Group
516:Bronze Star Medal
394:. He served as a
392:second lieutenant
304:4925th Test Group
263:Ritland attended
243:
242:
175:4925th Test Group
25:Osmond J. Ritland
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1026:Logsdon, John M.
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857:. Military Times
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623:oak leaf cluster
580:Nevada Test Site
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21:
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937:. 28 March 1991
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688:Project Mercury
584:Legion of Merit
560:nuclear weapons
528:
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400:United Airlines
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348:Project Mercury
308:nuclear weapons
279:he served as a
273:United Airlines
239:
224:Legion of Merit
212:
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50:30 October 1909
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1022:Day, Dwayne A.
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996:
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915:Wheeldown 1998
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692:Project Gemini
527:
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352:Project Gemini
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905:, p. 70.
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893:, p. 56.
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881:, p. 61.
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607:Kelly Johnson
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572:nuclear tests
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540:ejection seat
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455:Douglas XB-19
452:
448:
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429:
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396:fighter pilot
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320:nuclear tests
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300:ejection seat
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152:Major general
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105:United States
96:
92:
87:
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63:23 March 1991
62:
58:
54:
42:
38:
34:
29:
22:
19:
1029:
1009:. Retrieved
983:
961:. Retrieved
951:
939:. Retrieved
934:
910:
898:
886:
859:. Retrieved
834:. Retrieved
799:. Retrieved
765:. Retrieved
709:
674:to form the
665:
627:
595:Lockheed U-2
588:
529:
509:
497:
493:jet aircraft
424:World War II
412:Wright Field
409:
406:World War II
376:flying cadet
365:
324:Lockheed U-2
297:
289:jet aircraft
285:Wright Field
277:World War II
262:
245:
244:
201:World War II
194:Battles/wars
65:(1991-03-23)
18:
1128:1991 deaths
1123:1909 births
1095:Spaceflight
1011:3 September
963:3 September
941:1 September
861:2 September
836:1 September
801:2 September
767:2 September
657:upper stage
611:Tony LeVier
388:March Field
127:(1947–1965)
1117:Categories
975:References
706:Later life
661:Thor-Agena
615:Groom Lake
548:New Mexico
472:, and the
420:test pilot
362:Early life
281:test pilot
94:Allegiance
46:1909-10-30
1071:Biography
1006:899502722
601:from the
520:Air Medal
358:in 1965.
1048:36783934
566:and the
526:Post-war
518:and the
447:fighters
314:and the
168:Commands
110:Service/
1057:Portals
634:WS-117L
619:Area 51
576:fallout
470:bombers
332:WS-117L
252:(USAF)
72:, U. S.
1046:
1036:
1004:
994:
638:CORONA
449:, the
336:CORONA
217:Awards
163:O22332
112:branch
103:
88:, U.S.
77:Buried
55:, U.S.
988:(PDF)
795:(PDF)
761:(PDF)
734:Notes
654:Agena
650:Titan
646:Atlas
384:wings
374:as a
1044:OCLC
1034:ISBN
1013:2022
1002:OCLC
992:ISBN
965:2022
943:2022
863:2022
838:2022
803:2022
769:2022
696:NASA
690:and
659:. A
642:Thor
609:and
487:and
476:and
465:and
442:and
416:Ohio
350:and
344:NASA
143:Rank
60:Died
40:Born
726:in
648:or
558:'s
546:in
534:at
434:,
386:at
378:at
346:'s
283:at
226:(2)
1119::
1042:.
1024:;
1000:.
933:.
922:^
871:^
846:^
811:^
777:^
741:^
586:.
522:.
507:.
495:.
461:,
457:,
453:,
438:,
430:,
414:,
402:.
260:.
84:,
1059::
1050:.
1015:.
967:.
945:.
865:.
840:.
805:.
771:.
48:)
44:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
