Association News, The ITEA Journal - Retraction/Correction - June 2009, Vol. 30, Number 2
On April 25, 2009, Lieutenant General Howard W. Leaf, retired USAF, passed away at his home in Maryland.
This information was inaccurately reported in the June 2009 issue of Association News as Lieutenant General Daniel "Fig" Leaf, retired USAF. Lieutenant General Daniel P. Leaf is currently employed with Northrop Grumman as the Vice President of Strategic Initiatives for its Mission Systems Sector. We deeply regret the error and sincerely apologize to General Leaf and his family for the misprint.
The correct photograph and information for Lieutenant General Howard W. Leaf is noted below and will be printed in the September 2009 issue of the ITEA Journal.
Howard W. Leaf, 85, a retired Air Force lieutenant general and highly decorated combat veteran who retired as assistant vice chief of staff at the Pentagon in 1984, died April 25 of congestive heart failure at his home in the Prince George's County community of Aquasco.
He served in the Army Air Forces during World War II and joined the newly formed Air Force in 1950. He was a fighter pilot in the Korean and Vietnam wars.
His decorations included the Distinguished Service Medal and two awards of the Silver Star, one of which was for leading a raid on an oil refinery in North Vietnam. His other decorations included two awards of the Legion of Merit, two awards of the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Meritorious Service Medal and 16 awards of the Air Medal. He accumulated 5,600 flying hours during his career.
His first assignment at the Pentagon, from 1961 to 1964, was in the Office of Scientific Research for the nuclear detection program. During the early 1970s, he was stationed at Langley Air Force Base as deputy chief of staff for requirements, and in the late 1970s he oversaw weapons testing at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque.
From 1980 until 1983, he was inspector general of the Air Force, responsible for overseeing the group in charge of investigations, anti-terrorism and counterintelligence. In 1986, the Air Force created an award in his honor for officers and civilians who work in Air Force inspection.
Howard Wesley Leaf was born in Menominee, Wis., and received a bachelor's degree in geophysical engineering from the Colorado School of Mines in 1950 and a master's degree in geophysics from St. Louis University in 1955.
After he retired from the Air Force, he worked for an engineering company in McLean, and from 1991 to 1997 was a civilian director of the Air Force's Test and Evaluation Directorate at the Pentagon.
Lt. General Howard Leaf supported ITEA through various efforts including recipient of the distinguished 1994 Allen R. Matthews Award, the organization’s highest honor, for his lasting, significant contributions to the field of test and evaluation. He was also a past member of the ITEA Senior Advisory Board and Chairperson of the Elections Committee, as well as authored contributions to the ITEA Journal.
Survivors include his wife of 53 years, Madonna Ronan Leaf of Aquasco; six children, Mary Beth Leaf of Arlington, Barbara A. Leaf of Rome, Timothy M. Leaf of Springfield, Anne Marie Moore of Arlington, Thomas M. Leaf of Brooksville, Maine, and Army Maj. Daniel Leaf of Fayetteville, N.C.; a sister; and 11 grandchildren.
A memorial service is planned for August 14, 2009 at the Arlington Cemetary. Those interested in attending should gather at the Arlington Center at 0830 in preparation for services at the Old Chapel at 0900. The services will be immediately followed by a ceremony at the Arlington Cemetary and small reception with the family at Fort Meyer's Officers Club at 1030.