Lee Archer was born on September 6, 1919, in New York City, New York. He enlisted in the U.S. Army on January 5, 1942, and entered the Aviation Cadet Program of the U.S. Army Air Forces in June 1942. Archer was commissioned a 2d Lt and awarded his pilot wings at Tuskegee, Alabama, on July 28, 1943, and then joined the 302nd Fighter Squadron of the 332nd Fighter Group, flying the P-40 Warhawk and later the P-39 Airacobra, P-47 Thunderbolt, and P-51 Mustang. Lt Archer went with the group to Italy in January 1944 and was credited with the destruction of 4 enemy aircraft in aerial combat plus 6 more on the ground while strafing enemy airfields before returning to the U.S. in January 1945. His next assignment was as Chief of the Instrument Instructor School at Tuskegee Army Airfield, followed by completion of his bachelor's degree at the University of California from July 1947 to November 1949. Capt Archer served with the 19th Support Squadron in Europe from November 1949 to February 1952, followed by service as Operations Officer of the 4700th Air Base Group at Stewart AFB, New York, from February to June 1952. He served as an instructor with the Air Force ROTC detachment at New York University from June 1952 to September 1956, and then attended Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell AFB, Alabama, from September 1956 to September 1957. Maj Archer next served as Operations Officer for the 7414th Support Squadron at Orly Airport in Paris, France, from October 1957 to January 1958, Commander of the 7416th Material Squadron at Orly from January to December 1958, Protocol Officer for the 7415th Support Squadron at Orly from December 1958 to January 1962, and Operations Liaison Officer for the 7415th Support Squadron and then the 7260th Support Group, also at Orly, from January to August 1962. Col Archer then served as Executive Officer with Air Defense Command at Stewart AFB, New York, from August 1962 to August 1963, followed by service with the 36th Air Division at Topsham AFS, Maine, from August 1963 to August 1967. His final assignment was to Albrook AFB in the Panama Canal Zone, where he served as Executive Officer of U.S. Air Force Southern Command, Deputy Commander of the 24th Combat Support Group and Special Assistant to the Base Commander of Albrook AFB, from August 1967 until his retirement from the Air Force on August 31, 1970. Lee Archer died on January 27, 2010, and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.