Aloha General Omar N. Bradley

[Wailuna]

Here is more vintage Hawaii.

Here the caption from the back of the photograph: "Oahu, T.H. 7 February 1950. General Omar N. Bradley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who arrived this morning from the Far East Command is pictured meeting members of the staffs of the Army, Navy and Air Force at Hickam Field. He is shown shaking hands with Brigadier A. Pierson, Commanding General, Fort Shafter."

In addition to Bradley and Pierson, I have independently identified Admiral Arthur W. Radford, Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Command, and Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet (standing far left in photo) and General Lauris Norstad, Chief of Staff, U.S. Air Force (standing between Radford and Bradley).

 

Although Brigadier General Albert Pierson held an unassuming post at the time this picture was taken, he had a distinguished career beginning with WWI and ending with his retirement as Major General in 1959, following his assignment as Inspector General of the Army. He knew Bradley before WWII, from the Infantry School where Bradley was an instructor, and when they were classmates at the Army War College. Pierson was assistant division commander of 11th Airborne Division from its activation in February 1943 through occupation duty in Japan (the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with assault arrowhead and four campaign stars is visible on his uniform, as well as his Silver Star and airborne wings.) The patch on the left shoulders of the Army officers shown here was (and is) for U.S. Army Pacific.

[Lee Ragan]

I would respectfully disagree with you on the identification of the general you are saying is Norstad is actually General Hoyt Vandenberg who was USAF Chief of Staff at that time.

[Wailuna]

Thanks for correcting my error. Lt. Gen. Norstad is standing between (and behind) Adm. Radford and Gen. Vandenberg, who was Chief of Staff of USAF at that time. Norstad was acting Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force.