Earl G Peck

Maj Gen Earl G. Peck, United States Air Force (retired), passed away of natural causes at the age of 94 in Clearwater, Florida. A native of New Jersey, he was an Eagle Scout and an avid life-long tennis player. He enlisted in the Air Force in 1948; based on exceptional performance and aptitude he was selected for the aviation cadet program, received his pilot wings, and was commissioned as an officer. He subsequently served more than thirty-six years on active duty in the United States Air Force, progressing in rank from second lieutenant to major general. He was an accomplished aviator; a Command Pilot with more than 7,000 hours in fighters, bombers, tankers, and trainers. His decorations included the Defense and Air Force Distinguished Service Medals, Legion of Merit with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Bronze Star, Vietnam Service Medal with four campaign stars, Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, and many others.

Among positions he held in the Air Force were Chief of Special Air Operations at Military Assistance Command Vietnam in Saigon; 3902nd Air Base Wing Commander of Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska; Commandant of Squadron Officer School at Maxwell AFB, Alabama; Chief of Staff of the Strategic Air Command at Offutt AFB, Nebraska; Deputy Commander of Sixth Allied Tactical Air Force at Izmir, Turkey; Director of Intelligence and Space Policy in the Office of the Secretary of Defense; and numerous other leadership positions as a squadron pilot and staff officer.

Aircraft he flew included the F-80, F-84, and F-4 fighters; the B- 47, and B-52 bombers; the T-6, T-28, T-33, and T-39 trainer/transports; and the C-47, C-21, KC-135, and EC-135. General Peck earned a Bachelor’s Degree with Highest Honors from the University of Texas (where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa), a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from George Washington University, and he was a Distinguished Graduate of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

After his retirement from the Air Force in 1985, General Peck served two Governors as the Executive Director of the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs from 1989 until 1996. There he was the chief advocate for Florida’s 1.7 million veterans at the State and Federal level and improved their quality of life through a variety of projects and legislative successes.

General Peck was active in the Air Force Association, the Order of Daedalians, and the Military Officers’ Association of America as a Chapter and State officer. He also taught graduate-level courses for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Other memberships include the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, and the Tony Jannus Distinguished Aviation Society.

He served as Director or Chairman for several not-for-profit Boards and spear-headed major conventions for the Retired Officers’ Association and the Order of Daedalians. In 2000 he served on the Charter Review Commission for the City of St. Petersburg and was elected to the City’s Senior Hall of Fame in 2003. In June of 2003 General Peck was presented the Key to the City by Mayor Rick Baker. He has been inducted into the Metuchen (NJ) High School Hall of Fame and the Florida Veterans Hall of Fame.

He is pre-deceased by his loving wife of 66 years, the former Margaret Raymond who passed away in 2018, and his brother, David. He is survived by his six sons, Allen (Lynn), Michael (Peg), Thomas (Liz), David (Nancy), Jeffrey, Stephen (Jenna), and daughter, Margaret Ingwersen (Scott), 20 grandchildren, and 9 great-grandchildren. Each of his sons served this nation in a branch of the Armed Forces of the United States.

Interment at Arlington National Cemetery will be on a date yet to be determined. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to support military veterans through the Gary Sinise Foundation, to support Air Force Airmen through the Air Force Aid Society, or to support the church through Espiritu Santo Catholic Church.