Three-star general found home in Atlanta

Maj. Gen. Archie J. Old Jr. liked to say he was from Atlanta and Cass County.

He wasn't really. He'd been born in Farmersville, Texas, in 1906 and spent several of his childhood years in Daingerfield.

But he liked to say he was from Atlanta because his wife, Annis, was from here and she was a member of the well-respected Allday family.

Old's mother had been born in rural Cass County. The Old family moved around northeast Texas, and Old himself is buried in Pine Crest Cemetery.

But, importantly, Old had a very decisive personality and was a three-star general with major achievements. He knew where he thought his home was and, if asked, this is what he would say:

"My father owned a string of lumber yards in the blackland area of Texas east and northeast of Dallas. So when I'm asked I say, 'Well, Atlanta, Texas, like the one in Georgia, but Texas. That's my wife's hometown.'"

Archie's story is lovingly told in the 2011 book "Warrior General: The Legend and Legacy of Archie J. Old, Jr." by nephew Jack Stuart Allday.

If one does not know of this local son, here are three of his major achievements:

• As commander of the 8th Air Force's 45th Combat Bombardment Wing, he had led the legendary 1943 raid against the ball-bearing plants of Schweinfurt, Germany, considered the largest aerial battle to have occurred. Six hundred flight crew were lost as 376 B-17 planes were sent, 291 made it over target and 60 failed to return. 
• In June, 1944, he led the first shuttle bomb run from England to Russia.
• In 1957, he helped create aviation history by leading three Boeing B-52 Stratofortress heavy bombers in the first nonstop around-the-world flight, a mission of 24,325 miles requiring 45 hours and 19 minutes.

Jack Stuart Allday lovingly writes that the major general was "combative, colorful, outspoken and absolutely fearless about sticking up for what he felt was right, regardless of the consequences."

Old was also a relentless worker who left a mark on the Air Force. He made the cover of The Saturday Evening Post magazine in 1942 and his B-52's planes were pictured on the 1957 cover of Life Magazine.

He'd headed the 15th Air Force for 10 years, an unusually long time for such a command. Among his nearly 40 medals was the Purple Heart. He also was presented the Distinguished Service Medal, the nation's highest decoration for service not involving combat.

Foreign nations honored him with the French Legion of Honor, the British Distinguished Flying Cross and the Russian Order of Suvorov.

He became friends with famous people such as Bob Hope, Jack Dempsey and Frank Sinatra. The Lt. Gen. Archie Old Jr. Golf Course at March Air Force Base is named after him.

But, still, Archie Old liked to come to Atlanta, his adopted hometown. When he was buried here after his death at age 77 in Riverside, Calif., Allday writes that a B-52 flew low over the funeral ceremony at Pine Crest Cemetery and dipped its wings.

Allday also tells this story of the man's influence and respectability:

"Old's battles with Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara were well known to his colleagues and almost certainly cost him a fourth star," Allday writes in his book.

But Old would never discuss the matter.

"Old's niece, Marianne Van Bergh, recalled visiting Annis and Archie in their Riverside home one Thanksgiving. Old took a phone call in a different room and could be heard in a loud, profane exchange that was more of an argument than conversation."

When the obviously agitated Old returned to the dinner table, all he said was, "That was McNamara."

Another military historian recalled: "Old usually pushes himself harder than his subordinates. Once at a briefing, after he himself had worked more than 14 hours, he noticed that one of this staff officers looked tired and worn.

"Got to bed, Bill," Old said, "I'll look after the rest of this."

"Throughout World War II and his rise to his present post of commander of the 15th Air Force, Old set rigid and exacting standards of performance. It meant pushing and driving. It meant insistence until he got what he ceaselessly demands--the best possible results."

Bobby Allday of Atlanta, nephew to Annis, was young but still remembers Archie and Annis Old's visits. Annis and their daughter, Adelyn, came to live here with her mother during the war.

Allday's stories show a very colorful Archie Old.

"When young, Archie worked at the highway department here for a while and began watching airplanes. He was dating my aunt then, and he would fly up here and do all kind of aerobatics for her," Bobby Allday said.

"Once he had a two-seater airplane and something happened when he was piloting a friend.

"'Man, we're going to have to bail out. I can't control it,' Archie said.

"They did, and the two landed somewhere near the First Baptist Church."

But Archie wasn't through.

"Annis was in Shreveport at the time and out of reach by phone, and he borrowed a Ford automobile and rushed to Shreveport to tell her he was OK. He burned the car up driving it down there."

The two made a good pair. Annie was reserved and very well-liked, according to the Allday family.

Archie died March 24, 1984, at age 77. His body was brought here to Atlanta from California for burial with full military honors. Annis died in February 1995 at 87.

"Visitors might be impressed that three-star general is laid to rest here in this corner of Texas," Jack Allday writes in his biography. "A warrior to the end, Archie J. Old Jr. finally, reluctantly, laid down his shield."