{{short description|US Air Force general}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}{{Use American English|date=December 2024}} {{Infobox military person | name = John W. Handy | image = Gen John W. Handy (3).jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = Official portrait, 2003 | nickname = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1944|4|29|df=y}} | birth_place = Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | burial_place = | allegiance = United States | branch = United States Air Force | service_years = 1967–2005 | rank = General | service_number = | unit = | commands = United States Transportation Command<br/>Air Mobility Command<br/>Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force<br/>21st Air Force<br/>Tanker Airlift Control Center | battles = Vietnam War<br/>Gulf War | awards = {{nowrap|Defense Distinguished Service Medal (2)}}<br/>Air Force Distinguished Service Medal<br/>Legion of Merit (2) | relations = | other_work = }} '''John William Handy'''<ref name="Senate bio">{{cite book |url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-107shrg75903/pdf/CHRG-107shrg75903.pdf |title=Hearings Before the Committee on Armed Services, United States Senate |chapter=Biographical and Financial Information Requested of Nominees |date=2002 |pages=1506–1508 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |location=Washington, D.C. |isbn=9780160692970 |access-date=2021-03-30}}</ref> (born 29 April 1944)<ref>[http://www.defense.gov/Releases/Release.aspx?ReleaseID=1223 U.S. Dept of Defense News Release] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101129125407/http://www.defense.gov/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=1223 |date=2010-11-29 }}</ref> is a retired United States Air Force officer. Serving from 1967 to 2005, he reached the rank of general and held a number of high-ranking commands.
Handy was commissioned in 1967, and received his pilot wings in 1968. His early commands included the 21st Air Force at McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey; the Air Mobility Command's Tanker Airlift Control Center; two airlift wings; and a maintenance squadron. He then served as director of operations and logistics for the United States Transportation Command; director of programs and evaluations; and deputy chief of staff for installations and logistics with the Air Staff in Washington, D.C. His final two postings were as Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, from 2000 to 2001, and Commander of the United States Transportation Command and Air Mobility Command, from October 2001 until September 2005.
Handy is a command pilot with more than 5,000 flying hours, principally in airlift aircraft. As a C-130 Hercules pilot, he logged more than 300 combat hours in Southeast Asia.
==Education== *1966 Bachelor of Arts degree<ref name="Senate bio"/> in history, Methodist College, Fayetteville, North Carolina *1972 Squadron Officer School *1979 Air Command and Staff College *1979 Master's degree in systems management, University of Southern California *1982 Air War College *1984 National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. *1993 Program for Senior Executives, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
==Flight information== *Rating: Command pilot *Flight hours: More than 5,000 *Aircraft flown: C-130 Hercules, C-141, C-17, C-7A, C-9, C-37 and KC-10
==Awards and decorations== {| |- |150px |Air Force Command Pilot Badge |- |90px |Joint Chiefs of Staff Badge |- |120px |United States Transportation Command Badge |} {| |{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|name=Defense Distinguished Service ribbon|width=60}} |Defense Distinguished Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|name=Air Force Distinguished Service ribbon|width=60}} |Air Force Distinguished Service Medal |- |{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|name=Legion of Merit ribbon|width=60}} |Legion of Merit with one bronze oak leaf cluster |- |{{ribbon devices|number=3|type=oak|name=Meritorious Service ribbon|width=60}} |Meritorious Service Medal with three bronze oak leaf clusters |- |{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|name=Air Medal ribbon|width=60}} |Air Medal |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|name=Joint Meritorious Unit Award-3d|width=60}} |Joint Meritorious Unit Award |- |{{ribbon devices|number=4|type=oak|name=Outstanding Unit ribbon|width=60}} |Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with four oak leaf clusters |- |{{ribbon devices|number=2|type=oak|name=Organizational Excellence ribbon|width=60}} |Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with two oak leaf clusters |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|name=Combat Readiness Medal ribbon|width=60}} |Combat Readiness Medal |- |{{ribbon devices|number=2|type=service-star|name=National Defense Service Medal ribbon|width=60}} |National Defense Service Medal with two bronze service stars |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|name=AnArcRib|width=60}} |Antarctica Service Medal |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|name=AFEMRib|width=60}} |Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal |- |{{ribbon devices|number=3|type=service-star|name=Vietnam Service Ribbon|width=60}} |Vietnam Service Medal with three bronze service stars |- |{{ribbon devices|number=2|type=service-star|name=Southwest Asia Service Medal ribbon (1991–2016)|width=60}} |Southwest Asia Service Medal with two bronze service stars |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|name=Air Force Overseas Short Tour Service Ribbon|width=60}} |Air Force Overseas Short Tour Service Ribbon |- |{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|name=Air Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon|width=60}} |Air Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon with oak leaf cluster |- |{{ribbon devices|number=8|type=oak|ribbon=Air Force Longevity Service ribbon.svg|width=60}} |Air Force Longevity Service Award with one silver and three bronze oak leaf clusters |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=USAF Marksmanship ribbon.svg|width=60}} |Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Air Force Training Ribbon.svg|width=60}} |Air Force Training Ribbon |- |60px |Philippine Presidential Unit Citation |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Vietnam_gallantry_cross_unit_award-3d.svg|width=60}} |Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Award |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Vietnam Campaign Medal ribbon with 60- clasp.svg|width=60}} |Vietnam Campaign Medal |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) ribbon.svg|width=60}} |Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) |} *2005 Air Force Order of the Sword.
==Other achievements== *1992 Honorary doctor of humanities, Methodist College
==References== {{Reflist}} {{USGovernment|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090613181028/http://www.af.mil/bios/bio.asp?bioID=5689|archive-date=2009-06-13|url=http://www.af.mil/bios/bio.asp?bioID=5689|agency=United States Air Force}}
{{S-start}} {{S-mil}} {{Succession box|title=Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force |before=Lester L. Lyles |after=Robert H. Foglesong |years=2000–2001}} {{Succession box|title=Commander, United States Transportation Command |before=Charles T. Robertson Jr. |after=Norton A. Schwartz |years=2001–2005}} {{S-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Handy, John W.}} Category:1944 births Category:Living people Category:Military personnel from Raleigh, North Carolina Category:Methodist University alumni Category:United States Air Force personnel of the Vietnam War Category:Recipients of the Air Medal Category:University of Southern California alumni Category:Harvard Kennedy School alumni Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit Category:United States Air Force generals Category:Recipients of the Order of the Sword (United States) Category:Vice chiefs of staff of the United States Air Force Category:Recipients of the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal Category:Recipients of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal