| William Ross MacBrien | |
|---|---|
Air Vice-Marshal MacBrien |
|
| Born | 1913 |
| Died | 1986 |
| Allegiance | Canada |
| Service/branch | Royal Canadian Air Force |
| Years of service | 1935 to 1969 |
| Rank | Air Marshal |
Air Marshal William Ross MacBrien, OBE, CD, RCAF (born 1913, died 1986), commonly known as Bill MacBrien or Iron Bill, was a senior Royal Canadian Air Force officer during World War II and a senior commander in the 1950s and 60s.
MacBrien was born in 1913[1] in the United Kingdom. He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1935 and during World War II he commanded a Canadian fighter sector in continental Europe. In the early 1950s, he was a senior staff officer at the Headquarters of Canada's Air Defence Command in Saint-Hubert, Quebec before being appointed to further staff duties at No. 4 ATAF at Lansberg in Germany.[2]
In September 1958 MacBrien took over as Air Officer Commanding Air Defence Command.[3] From August 1967 to January 1969 MacBrien was the Deputy Commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).[4]
MacBrien died in 1986. His body was buried in the Beechwood National Military Cemetery in Ottawa.[5]
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by C R Dunlap |
Deputy Commander of NORAD 1967 – 1969 |
Succeeded by F R Sharp |