#VeteranOfTheDay Air Force Veteran Elwood “Pete” Quesada - VA News

At the time of U.S. entry into World War II, Quesada was serving as commanding officer of the 33rd Pursuit Group in Mitchel Field, New York, where he had served earlier during his career. Later during the war, he flew combat missions in Africa while serving as the commander of the 12th Fighter Command. He also served in England, from which he took part in the Allied invasion of Normandy one day after D-Day while serving as commander of the 9th Fighter Command. He then served as commanding general of the 9th Tactical Air Command for a few months before being promoted to major general.
His service to his country did not end there, however. After working in the private sector, Quesada returned to government service under President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who appointed him to be a special assistant for aviation and, subsequently, as chairman of the Airways Modernization Board. In 1958, he was confirmed as the first administrator of the newly-created Federal Aviation Agency (FAA), presently the Federal Aviation Administration.

It appears that he was a tough cookie and served our grateful nation as an daring aviator and expertise in flight administration!

Pete Quesada certainly had a distinguished career. Not many people achieved what he did. Just being a pilot in WW2 was quite an acomplishment in itself, but the rest of his career was quite outstanding. He certainly deserves to be Vereran of the day. Thanks Dale.