A native of California, General Cornelius graduated from the Aviation Cadet Program and flew the F-100 Super Sabre at RAF Lakenheath in England, Cannon AFB in New Mexico, Misawa AB in Japan, Kunsan AB in Korea and Bien Hoa AB in Viet Nam. After an assignment as a gunnery instructor at Luke AFB in Arizona, he returned to Viet Nam as a Forward Air Controller with the 101st Airborne Division, U.S. Army. Volunteering for a covert assignment he served as a Raven FAC in Laos and left active duty in 1968. Hired by Western Air Lines as a pilot, he joined Delta Airlines when the companies merged, flew most of the Boeing airliners of the late 20th Century as well as the DC-10 and L-1011. He joined the Air National Guard and flew the F-100 again, then the O-2 as a FAC, and the F-4C/D/E. He was a fighter squadron and group commander and the Deputy Commander of the California Air National Guard. He retired as a Brigadier General from the Air Force Reserve and as an international L-1011 Captain for Delta flying the Pacific. While with the airlines, he served as a member of the Contract Negotiation, Merger, Legislative Liaison, Professional Standards and Accident Investigation Committees and as a Line Check Airman and the Base Safety Coordinator for Delta at Los Angeles. He published several aviation related articles and at the time of his retirement had logged over 21,000 flight hours, of which over 2,100 were in the Super Sabre. He is a member of the American Legion China Post One, the Super Sabre Society, the Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association, the Aviation Writers Association, the Military Officers Association of America and the Air Force Association. His military decorations and awards include the Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters, the Bronze Star with V and oak leaf cluster, the Air Medal with twelve oak leaf clusters, and numerous campaign and service decorations.