William Ross MacBrien

Air Marshal William Ross MacBrien, OBE, CD, RCAF (1913–1986), commonly known as Bill MacBrien or Iron Bill, was a senior Royal Canadian Air Force officer during World War II and a senior commander in the 1950s and 60s.

William Ross MacBrien
Air Vice-Marshal MacBrien
Born1913
Died1986
Allegiance Canada
Service/branch Royal Canadian Air Force
Years of service1935 to 1969
RankAir Marshal

MacBrien was born in 1913[1] in the United Kingdom. He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1935 and during World War II he commanded a Canadian fighter sector in continental Europe. In the early 1950s, he was a senior staff officer at the Headquarters of Canada's Air Defence Command in Saint-Hubert, Quebec before being appointed to further staff duties at No. 4 ATAF at Lansberg in Germany.[2]

In September 1958 MacBrien took over as Air Officer Commanding Air Defence Command.[3] Deputy commander in chief at the SHAPE HQ in Belgium in 1967. From August 1967 to January 1969 MacBrien was the Deputy Commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).[4]

MacBrien died in 1986. His body was buried in the Beechwood National Military Cemetery in Ottawa.[5]

References
  1. http://www.interment.net/data/canada/ontario/ottawa/beechwood/
  2. http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1953/1953%20-%200530.html
  3. http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1958/1958-1-%20-%200285.html?search=MacBrien
  4. Veale, Thomas F. (2008). Guarding What You Value Most: North American Aerospace Defense Command, Celebrating 50 Years. Government Printing Office. p. 49. ISBN 978-0-16-080436-6.
  5. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/20826452
Military offices
Preceded by
C R Dunlap		 Deputy Commander of NORAD
1967 – 1969		 Succeeded by
F R Sharp


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