Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Michael James Beetham GCB, CBE, DFC, AFC, DL is a former World War II bomber pilot and a high-ranking commander in the Royal Air Force from the 1960s to the 1980s. As Chief of the Air Staff during the Falklands War he was involved in the decision to send the Task Force to the South Atlantic. At present, Beetham is one of only four people holding his service's most senior rank and, excluding Prince Philip's honorary rank, Beetham has the longest time in rank, making him the senior Marshal of the Royal Air Force. [More at Wikipedia]

May 17th, 1923 in London  /  Died:   Oct 24th, 2015