TYPED LETTER SIGNED BY VICE CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE U.S. AIR FORCE, GENERAL HORACE M. WADE.

Washington, DC: January 12th, 1973.. 1973.. Fine. - 100 words typed on a cream-colored, 10-1/2 inch high by 9 inch wide sheet of "Department of the Air Force, Office of the Chief of Staff" letterhead with the address and the Department of Defense seal printed in blue at the top. Signed "H. M. Wade". The bottom right corner is lightly bumped. Folded twice for mailing. Near fine. <p>Wade replies to a letter from Congressman Seymour Halpern soliciting his personal thoughts on achieving a lasting world peace. Wade assures Halpern of his desire for a just and lasting world peace, "however, although your request was for my personal 'views or formulas,' any comments by me on this critically important subject through other than official channels would be highly inappropriate...."<p>Horace Milton Wade [1916-2001] saw active service in World War II and the Vietnam War. In 1968 he was designated commander in chief, United States Air Forces in Europe and was promoted to general. The following year he was appointed chief of staff, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, and in 1972 he became Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force--the post he held when this letter was written.<p>The Queens, New York Republican Congressman Seymour Halpern (1913-1997) started his political career as a campaign aide to New York's powerful mayor Fiorella La Guardia and first served in New York's State Senate for 14 years before seeking a seat in the U.S. Congress. In Albany Halpern sponsored 279 bills that became law, including measures on schools, housing, civil rights, nutrition and mental health. A Liberal, he was something of an anomaly as the lone Republican representative from New York City, and generally garnered support from Labor Unions and endorsement from the Liberal Party. Yet he never even considered switching parties as he considered membership in the Republican Party a family tradition and commitment. While he found ample time for his private pursuits, including painting and collecting autographs, he took his legislative duties very seriously. Of these, he was proudest of his co- sponsorship of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and of the original 1965 Medicare legislation.