Sam Agee was born on September 21, 1912, in Silver City, New Mexico. He enlisted in the New Mexico National Guard on July 1, 1931, and received an honorable discharge on June 30, 1932. He then entered the U.S. Military Academy at West Point on July 1, 1933, and was commissioned a 2d Lt of Field Artillery on June 12, 1937. Lt Agee began flight training in September 1937, and was awarded his pilot wings at Randolph Field, Texas, in October 1938. His first assignment was as a B-18 Bolo bomber pilot with the 9th Bomb Squadron of the 7th Bomb Group at Hamilton Field, California, from November 1938 to February 1940, followed by service with the 5th Air Base Group at Hamilton Field from February to August 1940. He then transitioned into the B-17 Flying Fortress, again flying with the 9th Bomb Squadron of the 7th Bomb Group, at Salt Lake City, Utah, from August 1940 to June 1941, and then with the 39th Bomb Group at Geiger Field, Washington, from June 1941 to February 1942. Col Agee was commander of the 353rd Bomb Squadron of the 301st Bomb Group at Geiger Field from February to August 1942, and then served as Executive Officer for the 301st Bomb Group in England until November 1942. His next assignment was as commander of the 319th Bomb Group in England and North Africa from November 1942 until he was shot down in a B-26 Marauder while flying his 1st combat mission on December 4, 1942. He was immediately taken as a Prisoner of War of Germany, and was held until he escaped while being held in Italy on November 7, 1943. After returning to the U.S., Col Agee served with Headquarters U.S. Army Air Forces in Washington, D.C., from January 1944 to December 1945, followed by service as deputy base commander and then base commander of Lajes Field in the Azores from January 1946 to April 1947. Col Agee served on the staff of Air Transport Command from April to August 1947, followed by Armed Forces Staff College from September 1947 to February 1948. He served with Headquarters U.S. Air Force at the Pentagon from February 1948 to February 1950, and then served as chief of the Air Force section with the Military Assistance Group in London, England, from February 1950 to June 1953. He next attended National War College from August 1953 to June 1954, and then served as vice commander of the 27th Air Division at Norton AFB, California, from July to December 1954. Gen Agee served as commander of the 9th Air Division at Geiger Field, Washington, from January 1955 to August 1957, followed by service as assistant deputy for operations of Air Defense Command at Ent AFB, Colorado, from August 1957 to May 1958. He next served as vice commander of the Eastern Air Defense Force at Stewart AFB, New York, from May to August 1958, and then as commander of the 26th Air Division at Syracuse, New York, from August 1958 to July 1960. Gen Agee served with Headquarters U.S. Air Force at the Pentagon from July 1960 to March 1963, and then served as special assistant to the commander of Air Force Communications Service at Scott AFB, Illinois, from March to April 1963. His final assignment was as deputy commander of Air Force Communications Service from April 1963 until his retirement from the Air Force on August 1, 1963. After his retirement from the Air Force, Sam served as Superintendent of the New Mexico Military Institute from 1963 to 1973. Sam Agee died on August 6, 1995.