Clarence Prescott Talbot was born in Rockford, Iowa, in 1897. He graduated from high school in Rochelle, Ill., and attended the University of Illinois.
In December 1917, he enlisted in the Aviation Section of the Signal Enlisted Reserve Corps, and on June 4, 1918, was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Air Service Reserve. He was honorably discharged Jan. 9, 1919.
On July 1, 1920, he received a Regular commission as a second lieutenant of Air Service, was immediately promoted to first lieutenant and assigned as a student to the Air Service Observation School at Fort Sill, Okla. Upon graduated in December 1921, he became an instructor in Air Service tactics at the University of Illinois, and in July 1922 was appointed as Assistant Professor of Military Science and Tactics there.
General Talbot was transferred in October 1923 to the Fourth Observation Squadron at Wheeler Field, Hawaii. Three years later he entered the Air Corps Technical School at Chanute Field, Ill., completed the armament course in March 1927, and was assigned to the 88th Observation Squadron at Wright Field, Ohio. In July 1927, he was named armament officer of the Air Corps Advanced Flying School at Kelly Field, Texas, and a year later became an instructor there.
In August 1930, General Talbot was appointed an instructor for the Air Corps Reserve unit at Salt Lake City, Utah. He entered the Air Corps Tactical School at Maxwell Field, Ala., in August 1934, graduated a year later and entered the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., from which he graduated in June 1936. He then assumed command of the 88th Reconnaissance Squadron at Hamilton Field, Calif.; in September 1939 became supply officer for the First Wing of that station; and in January 1941 was named assistant chief of staff for supply of the Fourth Air Force there.
General Talbot was transferred to the China-Burma-India theater of operations in November 1943 as assistant chief of staff for supply of the 14th Air Force. In July 1944, he assumed command of the China Air Service Command. He became a member of the China Theater Regular Army Screening Board in January 1946, and the following April was named commander of the Shanghai Port Command, serving until May 1946.
In June 1946, General Talbot was named deputy commander of the Port of Alameda, Calif., and in March 1947 became commander. In May 1947, he was assigned as deputy commander of the Sacramento, Calif., Air Materiel Area, with station at McClellan Field, Calif. He was appointed Chief of Program Monitoring at Air Materiel Command headquarters, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, in November 1950. He was reassigned as deputy commander of the Sacramento Air Materiel Area in April 1952.
His decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal and Air Medal. He is rated a command pilot, combat observer, and aircraft observer.
(Current as of April 1952)