James Kriel

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Use South African English|date=April 2023}} {{Infobox military person | honorific_prefix = Lieutenant General | name = James Kriel | honorific_suffix = {{Post-nominals|country=ZAR|SSAS|SD|SM|MMM}} | native_name = | native_name_lang = | image = Maj Gen James Kriel, 1990.jpg | image_size = 300 | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1942|03|08}} | death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2016|07|18|1942|03|08}} | birth_place = Cape Town, South Africa | death_place = Bredasdorp, South Africa | burial_place = | burial_label = | burial_coordinates =  | nickname = | birth_name = | allegiance = {{flag|South Africa}} | branch = 23px South African Air Force | service_years = 1959{{ndash}}1996 | rank = Lieutenant General | service_number = | unit = | commands = {{plainlist| * Chief of the Air Force * OC AFB Ysterplaat * OC 35 Squadron SAAF }} | battles = | battles_label = | awards ={{MilAward Stack|SSAS |SD |SM |MMM |PP |SAM |GSM |Unitas |GoodServiceG |GoodServiceS |GoodServiceB |LOMC |ORB3 |TWOPTRGC |size=x12px}} | relations = | other_work = | signature = | website =  }}

Lieutenant-General '''James Kriel''' {{Post-nominals|country=ZAR|SSAS|SD|SM|MMM}} (8 March 1942{{snd}}18 July 2016) was a South African military commander. He joined the South African Air Force in 1959.

==Background== Kriel attended Tygerberg High School before doing a pilot course in 1959. He served as OC 35 Squadron SAAF at AFB Ysterplaat from 1974 to 1977, flying the Avro Shackleton. He later served as Officer Commanding AFB Ysterplaat as a colonel before being transferred to Headquarters in the role of director air planning as a brigadier.<ref>{{cite book|last=Uys|first=Ian|title=South African Military Who's Who 1452–1992|year=1992|publisher=Fortress Publishers|page=[https://archive.org/details/southafricanmili0000uysi/page/126 126]|isbn=0-9583173-3-X|url=https://archive.org/details/southafricanmili0000uysi/page/126}}</ref>

Kriel was promoted to Chief of Air Staff Operations as a major general in 1986, followed by Chief of Air Force staff till 1991, when he was promoted to lieutenant general and appointed Chief of the Air Force.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sadf.info/SADF.html|title=South African Defence Force|website=sadf.info}}</ref>

Kriel died on 18 July 2016 at the age of 74.<ref name="NW24">{{cite web | url=http://www.netwerk24.com/Nuus/Algemeen/oudlugmaghoof-james-kriel-sterf-20160721 | title=Oudlugmaghoof James Kriel sterf | publisher=Netwerk24 | date=July 21, 2016 | accessdate=July 22, 2016 | author=Barnard, Marelize}}</ref> He married Nellie Toerien on 4 August 1963. She was the daughter of Mattheus and Catharina (Née Bosman)

==Honours and awards== He was awarded the Order of the Star of South Africa (Silver) in 1994.<ref name="NatOrd94">{{cite web | url=http://www.sahistory.org.za/national-orders-recipients-1994 | title=National Orders Recipients | publisher=SA History | date=1994 | access-date=December 1, 2014}}</ref> * {{MilAward Desc|SSAS|x25px}} * {{MilAward Desc|SD|x25px}} * {{MilAward Desc|SM|x25px}} * {{MilAward Desc|MMM|x25px}} * {{MilAward Desc|PP|x25px}} * {{MilAward Desc|SAM|x25px}} * {{MilAward Desc|GSM|x25px}} * {{MilAward Desc|Unitas|x25px}} * {{MilAward Desc|GoodServiceG|x25px}} * {{MilAward Desc|GoodServiceS|x25px}} * {{MilAward Desc|GoodServiceB|x25px}} * {{MilAward Desc|LOMC|x25px|country=ZAR}} * {{MilAward Desc|ORB3|x25px|country=ZAR}} * {{MilAward Desc|TWOPTRGC|country=ZAR}}

==References== {{reflist|30em}}

{{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{s-bef|before=Jan van Loggerenberg}} {{s-ttl|title=Chief of the South African Air Force|years=1991{{ndash}}1996}} {{s-aft|after=Willem Hechter}}

{{s-bef|before=Dries van der Lith}} {{s-ttl|title=Chief of Air Force Staff|years=1990{{ndash}}1991}} {{s-vac|unknown}}

{{s-bef | before = Pierre Steyn}} {{s-ttl | title = Chief of Air Staff Operations| years = 1990}} {{s-aft | after= AH Repsold}}

{{s-bef|before=Daniel Knobel}} {{s-ttl|title=Deputy Chief of Staff Operations|years=1987{{ndash}}1990}} {{s-aft|after=Pierre Steyn|rows=2}}

{{s-break}} {{s-vac|unknown}} {{s-ttl|title=Chief of Air Staff Operations|years=1986{{ndash}}1987}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kriel, James}} Category:1942 births Category:2016 deaths Category:Afrikaner people Category:Military personnel from Cape Town Category:Chiefs of the South African Air Force Category:South African military personnel of the Border War Category:South African people of German descent