| Ralph T. Browning | |
| Nickname: | Tom |
| Birth Date: | 25 October 1941 |
| Death Place: | Scottsdale, Arizona |
| Placeofburial: | Arlington National Cemetery |
| Allegiance: | United States |
| Branch: | United States Air Force |
| Serviceyears: | 1964–1992 |
| Rank: | Brigadier General |
| Commands: | 313th Air Division 832nd Air Division 58th Fighter Wing |
| Battles: | Vietnam War |
| Awards: | Air Force Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star Legion of Merit (3) Distinguished Flying Cross Bronze Star Medal (3) Purple Heart |
| Spouse: | Ann (nee Pharr) Julie |
Brigadier General Ralph Thomas "Tom" Browning (25 October 1941 – 7 July 2018) was a United States Air Force command pilot and a prisoner of war (POW) during the Vietnam War. He commanded two air divisions during his career, and was commander of the 58th Fighter Wing, Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. After retirement from the USAF, he became CEO of Greater Phoenix Leadership, Inc. in Phoenix, Arizona, a business organization supporting community improvement efforts in the areas of transportation, education and economic development.
Ralph Thomas Browning was born in Holyoke, Massachusetts, on 25 October 1941 to Sergeant C. K. and Dollie Browning.[1] [2] His father left shortly after his birth to serve in Europe during World War II where he was a navigator/bombardier on a B-17B, shot down and spent 19 months as a POW in Stalag XVII-B, located near Krems, Austria. Since he remained in the Air Force after its formation in 1947, the family traveled around a great deal but ended up in Orlando, Florida, in 1955 where they, with Browning's three younger sisters, lived. While attending Edgewater High School, he personally crowned his wife-to-be, Ann Pharr, as Homecoming Queen.
Browning graduated from Edgewater High in 1960, entering the United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado on 27 June 1960,[3] a member of the 22d Cadet Squadron. Remaining on the Commandant's List all four years, he made the Superintendent's List the last semester. Cadet Browning earned his Bachelor of Science degree, Engineering Science, on 3 June 1964.[4]
Browning completed Armed Forces Staff College in 1977, Air War College in 1980 and Army War College in 1982.[5] In 1982, he also earned his Master of Science degree in public administration from Shippensburg State College.
Browning was a 28-year command pilot with more than 2,500 flying hours in the F-105, T-38, F-5, F-15 and F-16 aircraft.
About his captivity, Captain Browning said:
Brigadier General Ralph T. Browning's military awards and decorations include:
His Silver Star citation reads:
While in captivity, his wife, Ann, delivered their son, Scott.
Shortly after retirement from the USAF, in 1993, R. Thomas Browning became the first[7] CEO of Greater Phoenix Leadership, Inc., a business organization supporting community improvement efforts in the areas of transportation, education and economic development. He led GPL until 2007.
Browning also served on the boards of Neighborhood Partners Inc., Arizona Partnership for Higher Education and Business, Fighter Country Partnership, Science Foundation Arizona, Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University, Arizona State University's "Technopolis" program (a program to increase life-sciences- and technology-based entrepreneurial activity),[8] and the VA Veteran's Medical Leadership Council.
Browning was a past chair of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona, and past director of Valley of the Sun United Way. He was a member of the Arizona Governor's Military Affairs Commission, and Council on Workforce Policy. He was a member of the Aerospace Foundation, Air Force Association, Order of Daedalians, Valley Leadership, and Arizona Town Hall.[9]
Browning was decorated with the Order of the Rising Sun by the Emperor of Japan, and received the Congressional Medal Of Honor Society's Distinguished Citizen Award in 2005.
In his free time, Browning enjoyed spending time with his wife and three sons, playing golf and woodworking. He died early Saturday, 7 July 2018, at the age of 76 at his home in Scottsdale, Arizona. He was survived by his wife of 35 years, Julie, his 3 sons, Scott, Aaron, and Brad, as well as four grandchildren. A memorial service with a military fly over was held at Messinger Indian School Mortuary on Saturday, July 28 at 11:00am. He was laid to rest, with full military honors and military fly over, at Arlington National Cemetery on September 27, 2019.[10]