James U. Cross facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
General
James U. Cross
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General James U. Cross
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| Birth name | James Underwood Cross |
| Born | April 25, 1925 Covington County, Alabama |
| Died | July 11, 2015 (aged 90) Gatesville, Texas |
| Service/ |
 United States Air Force |
| Years of service | 1944-1971 |
| Rank |  Brigadier General |
| Commands held | Pilot of Air Force One, Military aide to President Lyndon B. Johnson, Commander of the 75th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas |
| Other work | Author |
James Underwood Cross (April 25, 1925 – July 11, 2015) was a United States Air Force brigadier general and co-authored the book Around the World with LBJ: My Wild Ride As Air Force One Pilot, White House Aide, and Personal Confidant. He was a military aide and chief Air Force One pilot under United States president Lyndon B. Johnson.
Professional life
Cross was trained as a pilot by the U.S. Army and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Forces in November, 1944. Cross began his military career flying transport aircraft in World War II. After joining the Air Force Reserve in 1946, he was recalled to active duty in 1948 and served at military bases flying transport aircraft.
Cross was sent to Bolling Air Force Base in Washington D.C. in 1958, where he served as pilot for VIP aircraft. In 1961, he was appointed military aide and pilot to Vice President Lyndon Johnson. He served as a co-pilot for one year and then served as Armed Forces Aide and pilot to President Lyndon Johnson from 1965 to 1968.
In August 2010, Cross arranged for one of the C-140 Lockheed JetStar planes formerly used to transport President Johnson from the White House to his Texas ranch to be refinished and relocated to the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park in honor of what would have been Johnson's 102nd birthday.
On February 23, 1962, Cross flew Vice President Lyndon Johnson, then-Chairman of the National Space Council, to Grand Turk Island, where Lieutenant Colonel John Glenn, Jr., USMC had splashed down in Friendship 7 after completing the Project Mercury space expedition. Colonel Glenn joined Cross in the cockpit on the flight back to Patrick Air Force Base, Florida.
General Cross' military decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States), Air Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with oak leaf cluster, and the Presidential Service Badge.
Death
His wife, Marie Campbell Cross of Austin, Texas died in February 2010. They had four children together. Cross died on July 11, 2015 in Gatesville, Texas.
