Brigadier General Dennis B. Sullivan is a command director in the Cheyenne Mountain Complex for the North American Aerospace Defense Command, headquartered at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.

General Sullivan was born in 1927, in Chippewa Falls, Wis., where he graduated from McDonell High School in 1944. In 1946 he entered the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md., graduating in 1950 with a bachelor of science degree and a commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. He received a master's degree in international affairs from The George Washington University, Washington, D.C., and is a graduate of the Advanced Management Program for Executives, Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh; the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., and the National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.

His initial pilot training began in June 1950 in T-6s at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, and continued in F-80s at Williams Air Force Base, Ariz., and Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.

In January 1952 General Sullivan was assigned to the 80th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 8th Fighter-Bomber Wing in South Korea, where he flew 100 combat missions in F-80s. After completing his tour of duty in South Korea, he transferred to Truax Field, Wis., and flew F-86 Sabrejets and F-102 Delta Daggers with the 126th, 432nd and 323rd Fighter-Interceptor squadrons. In October 1957 he moved with the 323rd Fighter-Interceptor Squadron to Harmon Air Force Base, Newfoundland, where he continued flying F-102s until September 1960. Following graduation from the Air Command and Staff College in July 1961, General Sullivan served with the 318th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at McChord Air Force Base, Wash., flying F-106s.

From June 1963 to August 1968, General Sullivan was a special projects officer at Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. He was then assigned to Headquarters Aerospace Defense Command, Ent Air Force Base, Colo., as chief, Test Branch, Weapons Division. He attended the National War College and concurrently earned his master's degree in international affairs from The George Washington University from August 1969 to August 1970.

General Sullivan served from August 1970 to August 1972 as director of operations and later vice commander of the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base, Calif., the only Air Force unit flying the SR-71 "Blackbird" strategic reconnaissance aircraft. He then moved to Air Training Command as vice commander of Chanute Technical Training Center, Chanute Air Force Base, Ill., where he served for three years.

In July 1975 General Sullivan took command of the only navigator training wing in the Air Force, the 323rd Flying Training Wing at Mather Air Force Base, Calif. From September 1976 to July 1978, he was assigned as deputy chief of staff for operations at Air Training Command headquarters, Randolph Air Force Base. In this position he was responsible for monitoring and providing staff support to pilot, navigator and survival training programs at 11 bases and several detachments. He then took command of 12th Air Division at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, and assumed his present duties in September 1981.

General Sullivan is a member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots and a command pilot with 7,000 hours flying experience. His military decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit with one oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster, Meritorious Service Medal and Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters.

He was promoted to brigadier general Feb. 1, 1977, with date of rank Jan. 24, 1977. Brigadier General Sullivan retired from the Air Force on March 1, 1983.

As serving as a special projects officer at Headquarters U.S. Air Force, in Washington, D.C., General Sullivan flew 3 missions in OPERATION BLACK SHEILD.

The A-12 Blackbirds, flown by CIA pilots were the first to operate out of Kadena AB, Okinawa in 1967. The unit was deployed from the 1129th SAS (Special Activities Squadron) out of Groom Lake "Area 51", Nevada. They were also known as "The Road Runners". The 1129th SAS was a joint USAF/CIA Operation

On 17 May 1967, the first Blackbird support components were airlifted to the island. The mission was called "Black Shield" and was formally sanctioned by President Johnson. The first A12 Article #131 arrived at Kadena on May 22 after a 6 hour, 6 minute flight from Groom Lake, Nevada. A second A12 Article #127 arrived on May 24th and the third aircraft, Article #129 arrived on May 27th after a delay due to INS problems at Wake Island. The Oxcart Detachment unit, with 260 personnel and under the command of Colonel Hugh Slater was declared operationally ready on 29 May 1967. The Black Shield team received authorization for it's first Operational Mission the following day.

-On 31 May 1967, Mel Vojvodich (CIA) flew A12 #937 out of Kadena on the First Operational Black Shield Mission. Over North Vietnam and the DMZ, the A12 photographed 70 of the known 190 SAM missile sites. The flight lasted 3 hours and 39 minutes and was flown at Mach 3.1 and an altitude of 80,000 feet.

-From 31 May to 15 August, 1967 seven more Black Shield Missions were flown over North Vietnam. In a typical A12 mission the Blackbird was over the target area for only twelve minutes. However, with a Mach 3 turn radius of 86 miles, intrusion into China airspace was carefully avoided. The photo film package was processed at an Air Force Center in Japan and was delivered to Vietnam Commanders within 24 hours of the Black Shield flight and shortly thereafter to the President of the United States.

-Between 15 August and 31 December, 1967 fifteen Black Shield Missions were flown.

-Between 01 January and 31 March 1968, six missions were flown: four over North Vietnam and two over North Korea. The first flight over North Korea was flown on January 26th by Frank Murray (CIA) to assess the seizure of the USS Pueblo by North Korean gunboats. A-12 reconnaissance aircraft based from Kadena Air Base, Japan were dispatched to survey North Korea to determine where the Pueblo was being held. The first mission over North Korea on 25 January was aborted due to a malfunction, but on the second mission On January 26, the A-12 photographed the Pueblo being held 11 miles north of Wonson harbor.

-On 08 May 1968, Jack Layton (CIA) flew one mission over North Korea. It was to be the last operational mission flown by the CIA on Okinawa. The SR-71 was prepared to take over mission responsibilities. The SR-71's began arriving in March of 1968. There was an overlap of approximately 90 days in the phase out of the A12's from Kadena.

-On June 04, 1968, an A12 piloted by Jack Weeks (CIA) took off from Kadena for a functional check flight due to an engine change. He was last heard from 520 miles East of Manila, Philippines. Investigation revealed no clue as to the disappearance of the A12 and pilot Jack Weeks. It remains a mystery to this day.

-During June of 1968 the A12's flew back to Groom Lake Test Facility and all 15 A12's were placed in storage at Palmdale, Plant 10, California.

-On 21 June 1968, pilot Frank Murray (CIA) flew #131 on the final A12 flight to Palmdale. The entire A12 program lasted 10 years.. from 1957-1968. A total of 29 Operational Sorties were flown out of Kadena. They remained in storage for a decade and then distributed to various museums in the United States.

-On 26 June 1968, The CIA Intelligence Star for Valor was awarded to CIA Pilots: Mel Vojvodich; Jack Layton; Frank Murray, Ken Collins and Dennis Sullivan. The posthumous award to Jack Weeks was accepted by his widow.

The CIA Legion of Merit was presented to the Oxcart Detachment Commander Colonel Hugh "Slip" Slater and his Deputy Colonel Amundson. The Air Force Outstanding Unit Award was also presented to Detachment Oxcart members of the 1129th SAS

 - BX6709 131 19 July 1967 Mission was flown at Mach 3.17 and 82,000 feet for a duration of 4:58 hours.

 - BX6732 131 28 October 1967 Mission was flown at Mach 3.15 and 83,500 feet for a duration of 3:49 hours.

- BX6734 129 30 October 1967 Mission was flown at Mach 3.20 and 85,000 feet for a duration of 3:44 hours.

During a flight on 30 October 1967, pilot Dennis Sullivan detected radar tracking on his first pass over North Vietnam. Two sites prepared to launch missiles but neither did. During the second pass at least six missiles were fired at the OXCART, each confirmed by missile vapor trails on mission photography. Sullivan saw these vapor trails and witnessed three missile detonations. Post-flight inspection of the aircraft revealed that a piece of metal had penetrated the lower right wing fillet area and lodged against the support structure of the wing tank. The fragment was not a warhead pellet but may have been a part of the debris from one of the missile detonations observed by the pilot.