General Manson served as Chief of the Defence Staff from 1986 to 1989, culminating a distinguished 38-year career with the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Canadian Forces.
Paul Manson
General Manson served as Chief of the Defence Staff from 1986 to 1989, culminating a distinguished 38-year career with the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Canadian Forces.
As a fighter pilot, he commanded at every level of the Air Force prior to his appointment as CDS, and served extensively with Canada’s NATO Forces in Europe. He was instrumental in the CF-18 procurement. He was Commander of Air Command from 1983 to 1985. Following military service, General Manson entered business as the president of a large aerospace company, ultimately retiring in 1997 as Chairman of Lockheed Martin Canada.
From 1998 to 2005 General Manson served as full-time voluntary Chairman of the "Passing the Torch" campaign, which raised $16.5 million in support of the new Canadian War Museum. His decorations include Commander of the Order of Military Merit and Commander of the U.S. Legion of Merit. In 2002 he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada, and he was the 2003 recipient of the Vimy Award.
