Hall of Fame Class of 2001

Lt. Gen. James S. Cassity Jr.
General Cassity was commissioned in 1958 through the Reserve Officers' Training Corps and served as a command pilot with more than 4,500 flying hours, including 180 combat hours in helicopters. He commanded the Air Force Communications Command's Engineering Installation Center, Oklahoma City Air Force Station, Okla., from 1981 to 1983, when he was assigned as deputy chief of staff for Information Systems at Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe, and commander of Air Force Communications Command's European Information Systems Division, Ramstein AB, Germany. In 1985, he was assigned as commander of AFCC's Space Information Systems Division, and deputy chief of staff, Communications Electronics and Computer Resources, Headquarters North American Aerospace Defense Command and Air Force Space Command, at Peterson AFB, Colo. When U.S. Space Command was activated in 1985, General Cassity became director of command and control systems and logistics, and deputy chief of staff for systems integration, logistics and support, Air Force Space Command, managing and directing the command's efforts in communications, computers, logistics and contracting. In 1988, he took command of AFCC, Scott AFB, Ill., with more than 55,000 employees in 400 locations worldwide, a budget of nearly $3 billion, and a mission to engineer, acquire and maintain communications, computer and air traffic control equipment for the Air Force. From 1989 until his retirement in 1991, he served as director of command, control and communications systems, Joint Staff, with responsibility for supporting the National Command Authority and all unified and specified commands on joint and combined military operations.

Lt. Gen. Robert H. Ludwig
General Ludwig was commissioned through ROTC in 1958 and completed the Communications-Electronics Officer Course, Keesler AFB, Miss., a year later. He was assigned to the 682nd Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, Almaden AFS, Calif., until 1960, when he transferred to the 1st Mobile Communications Squadron, Airways and Air Communications Service, Johnson AB, Japan. In 1964, he was assigned to Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt AFB, Neb., as a communications-electronics staff officer, and four years later became commander of the 2129th Communications Squadron, Ching Chuan Kang AB, Taiwan. He was assigned to the Philippines in 1969 as a communications advisor to the Philippine air force. The general became chief of the Mission Performance Division, Air Force Communications Service Headquarters, Richards-Gebaur AFB, Mo., in 1974, and two years later was named commander of the 1960th CS, Kirtland AFB, N.M.. In 1978, he became commander of the 2045th Communications Group, Andrews AFB, Md., and from 1980 to 1982, commanded the 1931st CG, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska. He then served as deputy chief of staff for communications-electronics, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, and commander of the Pacific Communications Division, Hickam AFB, Hawaii, until 1984. He then became deputy chief of staff for information systems, SAC Headquarters, and concurrently served as commander of the Strategic Information Systems Division of AFCC, also at Offutt. In 1986, he became assistant chief of staff of systems for command, control, communications and computers, Air Force Headquarters, and three years later was assigned as commander of AFCC, Scott AFB. He then served as deputy chief of staff for command, control, communications and computers, Headquarters Air Force, from 1990 until his retirement in 1992. General Ludwig passed away on 4 March 2002.

Chief Master Sgt. Richard P. "Hank" Sauer
Chief Sauer is the first enlisted inductee. He entered the Air Force in 1948, after serving 13 months in the Navy Reserve. He completed the Air Force Administrative Course and a crash course for cryptographic operators, before being assigned to Germany in support of the Berlin Airlift. He was assigned to the 1946th AACS Squadron, Templehof Airport, Germany; 1812th AACS Group, Munich Riems Airport, Germany; and the 1807th AACS Wing, Wiesbaden, Germany. In 1952, he was assigned to the Air Force Cryptographic School at Scott AFB, Ill., as the technical advisor, and in 1954, Chief Sauer went to the 1809th AACS Group, Nagoya Japan, where he performed duties as the NCO for Cryptographic Operations, Weather Systems, Plans & Programs and War Plans.

In 1957 he was transferred to HQ AACS, Andrews AFB, Md., as the NCOIC of the War Plans Division and was in the advance party setting up the Headquarters functions for the move to Scott in 1958. He has served in a variety of communications positions and commands during his career. He was assigned to the Air Attaché Office in the American Embassy, London, England; HQ European Communications Area, Wiesbaden, Germany; and HQ AFCS, Richards-Gebaur AFB, Mo. He also served with the HQ Aviation Engineer Force, Wolters AFB, Texas; 414th Fighter Group, Oxnard AFB, Calif.; 2163rd Communications Sq., RAF Station Wethersfield, England; 18th CS, Westover AFB, Mass.; the 1876th CS, Tan Son Nhut, Vietnam; and the 2147th CS. RAF Mildenhall, England. Before his retirement in 1975, Chief Sauer was assigned to the Command, Control and Communications Directorate, HQ Air Force. After retiring from the Air Force, he joined the U.S. Energy Research & Development Agency (ERDA), which later became the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in their Oak Ridge Operations Office, Oak Ridge, Tenn. There, he rose to be the chief of computing and telecommunications. He left DOE in 1987 and was the European Manager for the contractor that successfully developed and implemented the automated Wing Command & Control System (WCCS) for the Tactical Fighter Wings in USAFE. He also served as vice president for a small Systems/Information Company dedicated to the DOE national weapons complex. He was the first enlisted executive director of the AACS Alumni Association, and continues to serve as the editor/publisher of their newsletter, as well as manager of the AACS Web Site.