Clarence Tinker, born November 21, 1887 in Indian Territory, near Pawhuska, Oklahoma, was a member of the Osage Nation and the first Native American to achieve the rank of major general in the United States Air Force.
He was raised Osage and spoke the language. Tinker received his commission as a lieutenant in the US Army in 1912 and was transferred to the Army Air Service in 1922. In 1940, he became a brigadier general. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, he was named Commander of the Seventh Air Force in Hawaii to reorganize the air defenses. He was promoted to major general in January 1942.
In June 1942, he led a force against the Japanese Naval forces. His died when his plane crashed into the sea.
In October 1942, the Oklahoma City Air Depot was renamed Tinker Field in his honor. It is now known as Tinker Air Force Base.
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