Arnulfo Gonzalez Acedera, Jr. (19 December 1941 – 15 June 2020) was a Filipino general who served as the Commanding General of the Philippine Air Force and as the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. He was a recipient of awards such as the Distinguished Service Star, Distinguished Aviation Cross, Bronze Cross Medal and Silver Wing Medal.[1]

Arnulfo Acedera
Arnulfo G. Acedera, Jr. on his Distinguished Aviation Cross recipient
23rd Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines
In office
November 28, 1996 – December 17, 1997
PresidentFidel V. Ramos
Preceded byGen. Arturo Enrile
Succeeded byGen. Clemente Mariano
23rd Commanding General of Philippine Air Force
In office
November 29, 1994 – December 26, 1996
PresidentFidel V. Ramos
Preceded byLt.Gen. Nicanor P. Rodriguez Jr.
Succeeded byLt. Gen. William Hotchkiss III
Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines
In office
June 14, 1994 – December 26, 1994
PresidentFidel V. Ramos
Personal details
Born
Arnulfo Gonzalez Acedera, Jr.

December 19, 1941 (1941-12-19)
Rizal, Philippine Commonwealth
DiedJune 15, 2020(2020-06-15) (aged 78)
Resting placeLibingan ng mga Bayani, Taguig, Philippines
Alma materAFP Command and General Staff
PAF Flying School
Philippine Military Academy
Mapua Institute of Technology
AwardsDistinguished Aviation Cross
Distinguished Service Star
Military service
AllegiancePhilippines Philippines
Branch/servicePhilippines
Years of service1963 - 1997
RankGeneral General
Unit1st Air Division

205th Helicopter Wing
250th Presidential Airlift Wing

Air Force Research and Development Center
CommandsArmed Forces of the Philippines

Philippine Air Force

Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines

Biography edit

Acedera was born on December 19, 1941, in Cardona, Rizal to Arnulfo Acedera Sr., and Virginia Gonzales. Arnulfo Sr. was a pioneering aviator with the Philippine Army Air Corps under Col. Jesus Villamor, and fellow Calapeno and World War II hero, Lt. Jose Gozar.[2]

Arnulfo Jr. wanted to study at the Mapua Institute of Technology and that way get a degree in civil engineering, but changed his mind and went to the Philippine Military Academy instead in 1959 from which he graduated four years later. He continued on studying flying in Lipa, Batangas at the PAF Flying School from which he graduated in 1965. From 1966 to 1967 he was a commander for both the 3rd and 4th PAF Detachments which were part of 601st Liaison Squadron and 205th Composite Wing. In 1973 he flew Lockheed C-130 Hercules for training purposes at Lockheed Martin, Marietta, Georgia. In 1976 he took Swearingen Merlin course at San Antonio, Texas, and by 1983 passed a course at the Command and General Staff College, Fort Bonifacio. From June 14 to November 8, 1994, he became Deputy Chief of Staff and from November 8 of the same year to December 26 of the next year, worked at the Armed Forces of the Philippines. From the same date and till November 28, 1996, he was a commanding General of the Philippine Air Force and then until December 17, 1997, was a Chief of Staff in the Armed Forces of the Philippines.[1]

Awards in military service edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Gen Arnulfo G. Acedera Jr". Philippine Air Force. Archived from the original on August 15, 2014. Retrieved July 25, 2013.
  2. ^ Farolan, Ramon (20 January 2013). "AFP rites of renewal". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved 24 October 2023.