Brigadier General Larry D. Wright, retired United States Air Force, is a command pilot with 7,400 flying hours, including 1,874 combat flying hours and 533 maintenance test flight hours. He has flown T-29s, T-33s, T-34s, T-37s, C-133S, C-7As, C-9s, T-39s, C-118s, C-131s, and C-141s. His military decorations and awards include the Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Ribbon with three oak leaf clusters, Combat Readiness Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with 11 service stars, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Gross with palm and Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.
Brigadier General Wright was born in 1938 in Danville, Va., and graduated from Bladensburg (Md.) High School. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in political geography from the University of Maryland in 1960 and a Master of Arts degree in urban sociology (cum laude) from the University of Colorado in 1972. The general graduated from the National War College, Washington D.C. in 1977. He also is a graduate of Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College and Industrial College of the Armed Forces. He was commissioned in 1960 through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program at the University of Maryland as a distinguished graduate and was recognized by the American Legion as the outstanding graduate of 1960. General Wright completed flying training at Craig Air Force Base, Ala., in June 1962 and was assigned to Travis AFB. He served initially as a C-133 pilot and instructor, ant then as a maintenance test flight officer, from September 1965 to December 1968. In 1969 General Wright became chief of aircrew standardization, flying C-7A Caribous at Cam Ranh Bay Air Base, Republic of Vietnam.
After his tour of duty at the Pentagon, General Wright took command of the 89th Military Airlift Wing at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. This unit provides airlift for the president as well as other high-level government officials and foreign dignitaries. Among his other positions during his career, Brigadier General Wright was the vice commander, 22nd Air Force, Military Airlift Command with headquarters at Travis Air Force Base, California.
We four, General Wright's children dedicate our father's name to the National Aviation and Space Exploration Wall of Honor not only to honor him as our father, but to honor him for the contributions he has made to our world and the world of our future generations. We are very proud and inspired by his accomplishments and for showing us that if you truly want something bad enough, you can achieve anything.