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Maj. Gen. Cosgrave Retires

By Tech. Sgt. Mark Olsen, NJDMAVA/PA

Leaders salute Maj Gen CosgraveMaj. Gen. Richard C. “Craig” Cosgrave retired after 37 years of service on June 23. He was the Commander of the New Jersey Air National Guard, McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey.

The ceremony was hosted by the 177th Fighter Wing located at Egg Harbor Township.

General Cosgrave was born on June 15, 1942 in Springfield, Ohio and earned a Bachelor of Science in Education from Ohio State University in 1965. His military education includes Air Command and Staff College, National War College, and the National and International Security Program. His military education includes Air Command and Staff College, and National War College.

Maj. Gen. Cosgrave received his commission through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps in June 1965. After completing undergraduate pilot training in 1966, he trained at Davis-Monthan AFB as a student pilot and systems radar operator. From 1967 to 1968, he served an F-4D pilot with 433rd Tactical Fighter Squadron, Ubon Royal Thai Air Base, Thailand. After returning to the United States in 1968, General Cosgrave was assigned to Langley Air Force Base to train as an interceptor pilot. Upon completion of his training, he served as both an F-106 aircraft commander and operations training officer with the 48th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Langley from 1969 to 1971.

Maj Gen Cosgrave reviews the troops

In 1971, General Cosgrave was assigned to the Directorate of Plans, Headquarters United States Air Force, the Pentagon, as the Planning and Programs Officer. From 1972 to 1973, he was a weapons instructor pilot with the 475th Air Defense Squadron at Tyndall AFB, Fla. After being Honorably Discharged from the Air Force in 1973, the General accepted a commission in the New Jersey Air National Guard. During 1973 to 1976, he served as an F-106 fighter interceptor pilot with the 119th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, New Jersey Air National Guard. From 1976 to 1978, the General served as the aircraft systems flight evaluation officer, 177th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. During 1978 to 1982, General Cosgrave was the deputy commander for operations, then director of operations with the 177th Fighter Interceptor Group. From July 1983 to October 1989 he served as Commander of the 177th. After attending National War College in 1983, he returned to the 177th and served as the commander until 1989. In 1989, the General served as commander of the 108th Tactical Fighter Wing at McGuire AFB until 1991. From 1991 to 1995, General Cosgrave continued as commander of the 108th during the wing’s conversion from a fighter wing to an air refueling wing. In 1995, he became the Air National Guard Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, Air Mobility Command at Scott AFB, Ill. In May, 1999, Maj. Gen. Cosgrave became the Commander of the New Jersey Air National Guard.

Change of commandThe General and his wife Kathy have two children: Michael and Pamela.