Major General Don Howard Payne, 20312A

Major General Don Howard Payne, 20312A. He was born on July 18, 1927, in Dallas Texas, but he spent his childhood in Garland Texas. He was the son of Harry Tillman (Doc) Payne, and Gladys Payne, they owned a popular Payne Drug Store and lunch counter, in Garland Texas. In 1922 Harry Doc Payne first started his drugstore on the east side of the square. In 1930, the business moved to Garland Avenue in the 600 block.  Then in 1943, the drugstore moved again to its last location, 532 W. Garland Avenue.  In elementary school, Elsie Marie Bachman moved across the street from Don, and they were sweethearts ever since. During the Korean war he named his Jet after her.

He graduated from Garland High School in 1944. After graduation Don enlisted in the U.S. Army during World War Two. Don attend North Texas Agriculture college now known as UT Arlington (UTA). He left UTA after being admitted into the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, he graduated from West Point in 1950. In 1950 he married Elsie Marie Bachman Payne before being deployed to Japan and then Korea. He received his pilot wings in August 1951 and after completion of combat crew training was assigned in November 1951 to the Far East Air Forces. He served in Japan and South Korea and during the Korean War flew 74 combat missions in the F-84, with the 159th Fighter Squadron, 116th Fighter bomber wing.

In January 1953 Payne was assigned to Laughlin Air Force Base, Del Rio Texas, as a fighter gunnery instructor. He moved to Williams Air Force Base, Maricopa County, Arizona, as a gunnery instructor in October 1955 and in August 1957 was assigned as an operations staff officer in the Fighter Division of the Crew Training Air Force at Randolph Air Force Base,  Universal City, Texas. While still at Randolph General Payne served as executive officer for the deputy chief of staff for Technical Training in Air Training Command headquarters. He transferred to Perrin Air Force Base, Denison Texas, in September 1959 as an instrument flying instructor.Payne completed his master’s degree at Southern Methodist University SMU through the Air Force Institute of Technology program in February 1962 and was subsequently assigned as an operations staff officer, Directorate of Operations, Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley Air Force Base, Hampton Va. He was sent to Jump School at Fort Benning Ga and earned his Jump Wings on February 8, 1963. 

He was assigned to the Military Assistance Advisory Group, Taiwan, in June 1963 as an operations adviser to the Republic of China air force. In July 1965 General Payne became a personnel staff officer within the Directorate of Personnel Plans in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. In August 1967 he entered the Army War College. From May 1969 until April 1970, General Payne was deputy commander for operations, 12th Tactical Fighter Wing at Cam Ranh Bay Air Base, Republic of Vietnam. While in Southeast Asia General Payne flew 159 combat missions in the F-4 Phantom. He was the Distinguished Flying Cross for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight while serving with the 12th Tactical Fighter Wing, from 1969 to 1970. He transferred to Bitburg Air Base, Germany, where he was assigned as deputy commander for operations, 36th Tactical Fighter Wing. He became vice commander of the wing in December 1970 and commander in May 1972. Payne earned the Legion of Merit for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States as Commander, 36th Tactical Fighter Wing, Germany, from 1972 to 1974. General Payne returned to the United States in August 1974 and was assigned as deputy chief of staff for personnel, Headquarters Tactical Air Command. He became the Pacific Air Forces inspector general in August 1975 and in October 1976 was assigned as deputy chief of staff, operations and intelligence, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. He assumed his current position in May 1979. He earned the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service in a position of great responsibility to the Government of the United States as Deputy Chief of Staff, O&I, Pacific Air Force, from 1976 to 1979. The singularly distinctive accomplishments of General Payne and his dedicated contributions in the Service of his Country reflect the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

Major General Payne “disagreed with war. He didn’t like our politicians getting us into war,” he said. “He was willing to go to war, but he didn’t want anyone else to have it.” He retired in 1982 at the rank of Major General after 37 years of service and moved back to Garland Texas. He serves as a command pilot with more than 4,800 flying hours. His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal with 12 oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Distinguished Unit Citation emblem with three oak leaf clusters, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award ribbon with four oak leaf clusters and “V” device, and the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, and Jump Wings. He died on July 15, 2016 from complications of a heart attack worsened by Parkinson’s disease.

 

Major General Don Payne Military Photographs 

Major General Don Payne Military Documents

1- Documents photographs and other items that belonged to General Payne

2- Dallas Morning News July 22, 2016

3- http://www.garlandhistorical.org/online-resources/offerings-printed-articles/41-downtown/97-payne-drugstore-was-started-by-h-t-payne

4- https://obits.dallasnews.com/obituaries/dallasmorningnews/obituary.aspx?n=don-howard-payne&pid=180727761

5- https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/105978/major-general-don-h-payne/

Payne Drug Store in 1922 Doc Payne first started his drugstore on the east side of the square, where Food Town was in 1960. In 1930, the business moved to Garland Avenue in the 600 block.  Then in 1943, the drugstore was moved to its present location, 532 W. Garland Avenue.