Walter Kross

Walter Kross graduated BHS in 1960.  He was a basketball player who also played for George McElroy in 7th grade.  Walter went on to Niagara University and later received a Masters degree at Southern Illinois University and another at Auburn University.

General Kross was first commissioned in 1964. His early career combined both fighter and airlift experience as he flew 157 F-4 combat missions, 100 over North Vietnam. He has served as commander of a C-5 wing and was Commander of 15th Air Force. He is a Command Instructor/Evaluator Pilot with almost 7,000 flying hours in qualified in 14 different aircraft. In Vietnam, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters and the Air Medal with 12 oak leaf clusters.

During the Persian Gulf War, he served as chief operating officer of the U.S. Transportation Command, directing the largest transportation operation since WWII.  In 1995 he was confirmed by the U. S. Senate to be the Director of the Joint Staff, overseeing management of the Joint Staff with members of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force.  He also served as Commander of the U.S. Air Force's Air Mobility Command and Director of Operations for the United States Air Force.

Walter retired in 1998 and became a partner at KPMG.  He later became CEO of Flight Explorer, a software company, and currently serves as Chairman of a small California Defense firm.