Colonel Osmond Ritland served in the United States Army Air Corps in World War II Service started: 24 Mar 1941 Unit(s): 48th Air Depot Group Service ended: 14 Sep 1945
Osmond Ritland was awarded the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal.
Osmond Ritland was awarded the Army Good Conduct Medal.
Osmond Ritland was awarded the American Defense Service Medal.
Maj. Gen. Osmond Jay Ritland, [former] deputy to the commander, Air Force Systems Command, for Manned Space Flight, [was] a command pilot with more than 9,400 flying hours to his credit. In his 27 years of military service, he amassed the equivalent of more than one full year at aircraft controls.
Early Military Career
Osmund attended San Diego State College for three years [majoring in mechanical engineering] before beginning his [career in the US Army Air Corps] ... as a flying cadet at Randolph Field, Texas, in 1932. After completing the Air Corps Advanced Flying School, Kelly Field, Texas, in 1933 and serving at March Field, Calif., as a fighter pilot and "flying Army Air Mail," he went on inactive status in 1935 to become a pilot for United Airlines. :After five years with the airline, General Ritland accepted a regular commission, and in 1939, was assigned to Hamilton Field, Calif.
Test Pilot
In late 1939, he was transferred to Wright Field, Ohio, for a five-year tour as an Air Force experimental test pilot. :As a test pilot, he flew more than 200 different aircraft, including experimental versions of the P-38, the P-39 and the P-40; the P-47 and P-51; the B-17, B-19, B-26, and B-29, the B-32, C-46, and C-54. He was also one of the first Air Corps pilots to fly prototype jet aircraft such as the XP-59 and XP-80.
Under General Ritland's hand, enemy combat types--including German and Japanese fighters--also were evaluated at Wright Field. General Ritland was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his test flying at Wright Field. In this assignment, he was closely associated with and responsible for development of programs to carry out engineering, flight performance and functional testing of the majority of American aircraft used during and immediately after World War II.
World War II
He was a pilot for President Roosevelt's entourage on a secret mission to Casablanca and Egypt. He went hunting and had a duck dinner with the King of Egypt.[1] :In December 1944, he was transferred to the China-Burma-India theater , General Ritland served as the commander of the Assam Air Depot, India (48th Air Depot Group), until 1946. [2]
Nuclear Programs
After World War II he became part of the newly created U.S. Air Force. in the mid-1950', he was assigned to the classified U-2 program ,and helped to select Area 51.[3]
In February 1950, he was assigned to the Special Weapons Command at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., where he organized and commanded the 4925th Test Group (Atomic), which was responsible for development testing of weapons equipment needed to gain an Air Force nuclear capability.
In these operations, the first of their kind undertaken by the U.S. Air Force, the general commanded an organization made up of some 50 aircraft, including many specialized types.
His test group also assisted the Atomic Energy Commission and the Armed Forces Special Weapons Project in nuclear weapons effects tests, and developed an operational technique for airborne sampling of these effects.
In support of the U.S. nuclear weapons program, General Ritland also organized, directed and exercised operational control of all aircraft participating in the AEC Nevada Proving Ground atomic testing and received the Legion of Merit for his outstanding achievements.
Research and Development
Following the Kirtland assignment, General Ritland attended and graduated from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. He then served two years at U.S. Air Force headquarters as special assistant to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Development where he was responsible for developing and managing programs of a highly classified nature. His performance in this sensitive job earned him a second Legion of Merit award.
Major General Bernard A. Schriever had General Ritland handle the beginnings of the space effort. In 1956 he was responsible for the day to- day management of the organization and its ambitious Weapon System 117L satellite program, the forerunner of the entire Air Force space program. Following the launch of Sputnik in 1957, General Ritland helped the U.S. start a program to realize an operational photographic reconnaissance satellite employing a recoverable capsule in the spring of 1959.
In April 1956, he became vice commander, Air Force Ballistic Missile Division (AFMD) and promoted to brigadier general in October 1956.. In April 25, 1959, he became commander of AFBMD and n July 1959, he was promoted to major general.
Systems Command
In April 1, 1961, he assumed command of the newly created Space Systems Division of the Air Force Systems Command, and in May 15, 1962, he was appointed deputy to the commander, Air Force Systems Command, for Manned Space Flight. [4]
The Office of the Deputy to the Commander, AFSC, for Manned Space Flight [was] the focal point within AFSC for all U.S. Air Force actions pertaining to the national manned space effort. Functioning in a staff capacity, General Ritland [was] responsible for planning, programming and coordinating the allocation of AFSC resources necessary to support specific National Aeronautics and Space Administration projects and programs for manned flight arising under basic agreements between NASA and the Department of Defense. Working with the director of manned space flight for NASA, General Ritland [was] responsible for maintaining with NASA contacts and management arrangements necessary to carry out such projects and programs, and for coordinating with NASA on all support provided to Air Force programs by that agency.
For the [last] seven years [of his career], he [devoted] his abilities primarily to the development and system acquisition of Air Force ballistic missile weapon systems and related military space programs. :
Family
Osmond Jay Ritland was born on 30 Oct 1909 in Berthoud, Larimer, Colorado, United States, son of Osmund O Ritland (~1869 - 1935) and Jane Olena (Tesdahl) Ritland (1880 - 1957). He graduated from Grossmont High School in El Cajon, California, and then attended San Diego State College from 1929 to 1932. He married Martha Virginia Alsup on 2 March 1936 at San Diego, California.
In the 1940 census Osmand (age 30), Lieutenant, was the married head of household in Dayton, Montgomery, Ohio.[7]
Death
On 23 March 1991, Osmond died in Encinitas, California.[8]
Awards
Distinguished Flying Cross,
Bronze Star,
Air Medal
Legion of Merit.
First recipient of the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, (30 Nov 1965
One of the ten original Air Force Space and Missile Pioneers.[9][10]
Sources
↑Tesdahl Clan History. Unpublished manuscript created and maintained by descendants of Lars Tesdahl and Martha Berg.
↑ For his services in establishing and maintaining a supply system for support of operations against the enemy and for increasing the tonnage of supplies carried over the "hump," he was awarded the Bronze Star and the Air Medal.
↑ Norman Polmar, Spyplane: The U2 History Declassified, Zenith Imprint, 2001, pp. 60, 65 66
↑ General Ritland was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal in August 1962 in recognition of his outstanding achievements in furthering the aerospace capabilities of the United States in ballistic missile and space programs while commander of the Air Force Ballistic Missile Division and commander, Space Systems Division.
↑ "United States Census, 1910,"
"United States Censu database with images, FamilySearch" (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MK4C-5JL : accessed 6 February 2022), Osmond J Ritland in household of Osmond O Ritland, North Berthoud, Larimer, Colorado, United States; citing enumeration dist...
Name:
Osmond J Ritland
Event Type:
Census
Event Date:
1910
Event Place:
North Berthoud, Larimer, Colorado, United States
Sex:
Male
Age:
0
Marital Status:
Single
Race:
White
Birth Year -Estimated-:
1910
Birthplace:
Colorado
Father's Birthplace:
Iowa
Mother's Birthplace:
Iowa
Relationship to Head of Household:
Son
Relationship to Head of Household -Original-:
Son
Household Members
Name
Age
Role
Sex
Birthplace
Osmond O Ritland
41
Head
Male
Iowa
Jennie Ritland
29
Wife
Female
Iowa
Hubert D Ritland
6
Son
Male
Colorado
Marjorie L Ritland
4
Daughter
Female
Colorado
Osmond J Ritland
0
Son
Male
Colorado
↑1930 Census:
"1930 United States Federal Census"
Year: 1930; Census Place: La Mesa, San Diego, California; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 0040; FHL microfilm: 2339925 Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 6224 #91989383 (accessed 25 February 2022)
Osmund Ritland (20), single son, Clerk, in household of Osmund Ritland (62) in So. Palm Ave, La Mesa, San Diego, California, USA. Born in Colorado.
Name
Age
Relation
Osmund Ritland
62
Head
Jennie Ritland
49
Wife
Osmund Ritland
20
Son
↑1940 Census:
"1940 United States Federal Census"
Year: 1940; Census Place: Dayton, Montgomery, Ohio; Roll: m-t0627-03253; Page: 9B; Enumeration District: 94-65 Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 2442 #36953194 (accessed 25 February 2022)
Osmand Ritland (30), married, Lieutenant, head of household in Dayton, Montgomery, Ohio. Born in Colorado.
Name
Age
Relation
Osmand Ritland
30
Head
Martha Ritland
27
Wife
Kathryn Ritland
5/12
Daughter
↑Death:
"California, U.S., Death Index, 1940-1997:" Place: San Diego; Date: 23 Mar 1991; Social Security: 542015084 Ancestry Record 5180 #6195384
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DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with Osmond by comparing test results with other carriers of his Y-chromosome or his mother's mitochondrial DNA.
However, there are no known yDNA or mtDNA test-takers in his direct paternal or maternal line.
It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with Osmond:
~3.12% ~6.25%Connie Graham :
AncestryDNA, GEDmatch T008538[compare], yourDNAportal CONb553ef99, Ancestry member Constance_D_Graham
+
Family Tree DNA Family Finder, GEDmatch T008538[compare], yourDNAportal CONb553ef99, FTDNA kit #168247
Ritland-4 and Ritland-8 appear to represent the same person because: These profiles are of the same person. Osmond Ritland and Jennie Tesdahl Ritland only had 3 children. Where the name Ramond came from is probably a mis-transcription of a record.
Ritland-8 is the most complete, and therefore, the preferred record.
Ritland-6 and Ritland-4 appear to represent the same person because: Osmond Ritland and Jennie Tesdahl Ritland only had 3 children, not 5. Where the 1964 death date came from is unknown, because all three Ritland children died in the 1990s. Ritland-4 birth and death dates and places coincide with Ritland-8, which should be the preferred profile.
Ritland-8 is the most complete, and therefore, the preferred record.