Jerome O'Malley was born on February 25, 1932, in Carbondale, Pennsylvania. He entered the U.S. Military Academy at West Point on July 1, 1949 and graduated with a commission as a 2d Lt in the U.S. Air Force on June 2, 1953. O'Malley next completed Undergraduate Pilot Training and was awarded his pilot wings at Bryan AFB, Texas, in August 1954. After completing F-86 combat crew training, he was assigned as an air training officer at the U.S. Air Force Academy from January 1955 to December 1957. O'Malley then attended B-47 Stratojet combat crew training, and was assigned to the 529th Bomb Squadron at Plattsburgh AFB, New York, from February 1958 to June 1960. He then served as an aide to the Commander of 8th Air Force at Westover AFB, Massachusetts, followed by service as aide to the Vice Commander in Chief of Strategic Air Command at Offutt AFB, Nebraska, from June 1960 to August 1964. He then attended Air Command and Staff College from August 1964 to June 1965, followed by upgrade training in the SR-71 Blackbird with the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Beale AFB, California, where he served from June 1965 to July 1969. During this time, O'Malley flew the first operational SR-71 mission over Southeast Asia on March 21, 1968. He next attended the Naval War College from July 1969 to July 1970, followed by service as director of operations for the 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, where he flew RF-4C Phantom II aircraft unitl April 1971. He served as Vice Commander and then Commander of the 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Tan Son Nhut AB in the Republic of Vietnam from April to September 1971, and then Vice Commander of the 432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Udorn Royal Thai AFB, Thailand, until May 1972. During this time he flew 116 combat missions over Southeast Asia. Gen O'Malley's next assignment was as Commander of the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Beale AFB from May 1972 to May 1973, and then Commander of the 22nd Bomb Wing at March AFB, California, followed by service as Chief of Staff of 15th Air Force at March, until July 1974. He was Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans at Headquarters Strategic Air Command from July 1974 to June 1975, and then served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations Plans until January 1977. He next became Vice Director for Operations on the Joint Staff at the Pentagon where he served until May 1979. Gen O'Malley served as Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Plans, and Readiness at U.S. Air Force Headquarters from May 1979 to August 1980, followed by service as Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Operations from August 1980 to June 1982. He served as Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force from June 1982 to October 1983, and then served as Commander in Chief Pacific Air Forces from October 1983 to September 1984. Gen O'Malley's final assignment was as Commander in Chief of Tactical Air Command, where he served from September 1984 until his death in the crash of a CT-39 Sabreliner on April 20, 1985. Gen O'Malley and his wife Diane were both killed in the crash and were buried together at Arlington National Cemetery.