장지량 張志良
Officer who took part in founding the ROK Air Force; 9th Chief of Staff of the Air Force; Ambassador to Ethiopia; pen name Seogeun
| Life | 1924 ~ 2015 |
| Era | 현대 |
| Clan | 흥덕 장씨 |
Life & career
Jang Ji-ryang (1924-2015) was a South Korean air force officer of the Heungdeok Jang clan, pen name Seogeun, born December 15, 1924 in Naju, South Jeolla. Korean Wikipedia lists graduation from the Imperial Japanese Army Academy (class 60) and the Army Air Academy, followed by the ROK Military Academy (class 5), ROK Air Force Academy (special class 2) and US Air Force flight and staff courses. His actual service record in the Japanese forces is not described there, so any judgment on collaboration or honors must come from other sources.
After graduating from the ROK Military Academy in 1948 he joined the "105 founders" of the air force and, as the first Operations Director, planned the aid acquisition of 100 F-51 Mustangs and ten airfields. He commanded the 10th Fighter Wing, the 11th Fighter Wing and the Air Force Academy, served as 9th Chief of Staff of the Air Force (lieutenant general) from August 1, 1966 to August 1, 1968 under the Park Chung-hee government, and retired in 1968.
Afterwards he was president of the Korea Tungsten Company, defense attaché in Washington, Ambassador to Ethiopia (1969), the Philippines (1973) and Denmark, and a member of the 10th National Assembly (1978) through the Yujeonghoe. During his Ethiopia posting his friendship with Emperor Selassie is said to have turned Ethiopia's 1972 UN vote on the Korean question from abstention to support. He received the Order of National Security Merit, Eulji and Chungmu Distinguished Military Service Medals and the US Bronze Star; his son Jang Dae-hwan chairs the Maeil Business Newspaper.
The Haeinsa Bombing Controversy
Jang claimed to have prevented the bombing of the Haeinsa Tripitaka Koreana during the Korean War, but in 2009 the family of Gen. Kim Yeong-hwan said the credit was his, and the air force history committee announced that both the Haeinsa episode and the "red muffler" were Kim's. In 2010 the government posthumously awarded Kim the Gold Crown Order of Cultural Merit. It should be treated as a disputed matter.
Descendants
He had three sons and two daughters with Song Won-hui; the media executive Jang Dae-hwan is his son.