Date: Monday, Sep. 10, 2007 10:14;17PM
From: JThomas927@aol.com
Ref: Gen Dougherty

Jim , pls place this mail forwarded by Jack in an appropriate place on our web site. General Dougherty was indeed a gentleman and deserves the high regard in which so many hold him. I had the privilege as a young Captain to occasionally brief the entire SAC senior staff when General Dougherty was the CINCSAC. I soon realized that if General Dougherty was in the chair that this one young Captain would be able to survive the presentation. However, if General Dougherty was not in the chair, your career at that particular moment was problematic at best, and only if all the briefing items that you presented were good news for all the Directors(Colonels) present. Lest ye be sacrificed for the greater good of any Colonel or Generals particular agenda on that day. What was it Churchill said about being shot at w/o effect? I was lucky and General Dougherty was infrequently absent for my briefs...enough times for me to learn how to duck with skill. Those were the days…..Jim Thomas

….…message forwarded from Jack Kovacs…….
 To SAC Veterans and friends,
          I just received notice that General Russ Dougherty, former CINCSAC, passed away last evening. Besides being one of SAC's most respected and beloved Commanders, General Dougherty later served as Executive Director of the Air Force Association and had a successful career in his civilian legal profession.
        General Dougherty resided in a military retirement community in the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC. He enjoyed retirement with family and friends, but he regretted that for health reasons he was no longer able to travel and participate in SAC reunion activities.
         General Dougherty was a contributor to and an ongoing supporter of the SAC Memorial Project. On a number of occasions he contacted me by phone to offer encouragement and to express how pleased he was with our progress. I am glad that last month I was able to provide General Dougherty with detailed photos of the completed SAC Memorial after it was set in place at the National Museum of the United States Air Force.
          In a conversation with me shortly before he died, General Dougherty expressed how pleased and proud he was that he lived to see the completion of the Memorial and that he was able to experience the renewed efforts by SAC veterans to honor and perpetuate the legacy of SAC. Although he could not be with us in person at our 2008 reunion and memorial dedication, he looked forward to sharing his thoughts with us in writing. Needless to say, General Dougherty will be very much with us in mind and spirit. 

Ron Resh, Coordinator
SAC Memorial Project

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Click here for information on Gen Dougherty from the AFA web site.
http://www.afa.org/magazine/feb2005/0205russ.asp