Editing William Anders (section)

===General Dynamics board===
Anders became vice chairman of [[General Dynamics]] in January 1990, and on 1 January 1991, its chairman and CEO.<ref name = "GD CEO">{{cite news
 |last1        = Goodman
 |first1       = Adam
 |title        = Stepping Down: Pace Reflects on Years At The Top
 |work         = [[St. Louis Post-Dispatch]]
 |date         = 19 December 1990
|page         = 8F
 |url          = https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch-stepping-down-p/149016427/
 |access-date  = 9 June 2024
|url-access   = subscription
 |via          = Newspapers.com
 |archive-date = 9 June 2024
|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20240609193810/https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch-stepping-down-p/149016427/
 |url-status   = live
}}</ref> Soon after he took over as CEO, the company lost $700 million (equivalent to ${{#expr:({{Inflation|US|700|1991|r=-2}}/1000) round 2}}&nbsp;billion in {{Inflation/year|US}}) in write-offs over the canceled [[McDonnell Douglas A-12 Avenger II|A-12 Avenger II]] program.<ref name = "Anders & A-12">{{cite news
 |last1        = Goodman
 |first1       = Adam
 |title        = Dynamic Force
 |work         = St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 |date         = 2 June 1991
|pages        = 1E, 6E
 |url          = https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch-execs-general-d/149012387/
 |access-date  = 9 June 2024
|url-access   = subscription
 |via          = Newspapers.com
 |archive-date = 10 June 2024
|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20240610183803/https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch-execs-general-d/149012387/
 |url-status   = live
}}</ref> The January 1991 cancelation directly caused about 3,500 employees to be laid-off at the [[Fort Worth, Texas]] plant that built the A-12.<ref name = "Fort Worth Layoffs">{{cite news
 |last1        = Hutcheson
 |first1       = Ron
 |title        = Cheney decides to kill the A-12
 |work         = [[Fort Worth Star-Telegram]]
 |date         = 8 January 1991
|pages        = A1, A12
 |url          = https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-worth-star-telegram-cheney-decides/149024609/
 |accessdate   = 9 June 2024
|url-access   = subscription
 |via          = Newspapers.com
 |archive-date = 9 June 2024
|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20240609213235/https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-worth-star-telegram-cheney-decides/149024609/
 |url-status   = live
}}</ref> On 19 June 1991, Anders announced that General Dynamics was moving its corporate headquarters from [[St. Louis, Missouri]], to [[Falls Church, Virginia]], to be closer to its military customers at [[The Pentagon]].<ref name = "Anders Announces HQ Move">{{cite news
 |last1        = Flannery
 |first1       = William
 |title        = General Dynamics Moving Out
 |work         = St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 |date         = 20 June 1991
|page         = 5E
 |url          = https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch-general-dynamics/149022033/
 |access-date  = 9 June 2024
|url-access   = subscription
 |via          = Newspapers.com
 |archive-date = 10 June 2024
|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20240610183728/https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch-general-dynamics/149022033/
 |url-status   = live
}}</ref> The move started on 20 December 1991, with 110 of the 275 headquarters employees moving to the [[Capital Beltway|Washington Beltway]] location, and 50 remaining in the accounting office in St. Louis, leaving 115 unemployed.<ref name = "HQ Dec Move">{{cite news
 |last1        = Goodman
 |first1       = Adam
 |title        = It's Official: General Dynamics Picks Friday To Move Head Office To Capital
 |work         = St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 |date         = 18 December 1991
|page         = 10D
 |url          = https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch-its-official-g/149021622/
 |access-date  = 9 June 2024
|url-access   = subscription
 |via          = Newspapers.com
 |archive-date = 10 June 2024
|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20240610183747/https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch-its-official-g/149021622/
 |url-status   = live
}}</ref>

When Anders took over, General Dynamics was in financial trouble.<ref name = "GD Big Losses">{{cite news
 |last1        = Picht
 |first1       = Ralph
 |title        = General Dynamics posts huge loss
 |work         = The Belleville News-Democrat
 |location     = [[Belleville, Illinois]]
 |date         = 7 February 1991
|page         = 4B
 |agency       = The Associated Press
 |url          = https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-belleville-news-democrat-general-dyn/149029006/
 |access-date  = 9 June 2024
|url-access   = subscription
 |via          = Newspapers.com
 |archive-date = 10 June 2024
|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20240610183934/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-belleville-news-democrat-general-dyn/149029006/
 |url-status   = live
}}</ref> The quarter before he became chairman and CEO was the worst ever in the company's history, losing $858 million (equivalent to ${{#expr:({{Inflation|US|858|1991|r=-2}}/1000) round 2}}&nbsp;billion in {{Inflation/year|US}}) between October and December 1990.<ref name = "GD's worst Quarter">{{cite news
 |last2        = Broder
 |first2       = John
 |last1        = Vartabedian
 |first1       = Ralph
 |title        = Jet Cancellation Cited in General Dynamics' Loss
 |work         = [[Los Angeles Times]]
 |date         = 7 February 1991
|pages        = D3
 |url          = https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-jet-cancellation-c/149026637/
 |access-date  = 9 June 2024
|url-access   = subscription
 |via          = Newspapers.com
 |archive-date = 10 June 2024
|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20240610183853/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-jet-cancellation-c/149026637/
 |url-status   = live
}}</ref> Anders sold off nearly $3&nbsp;billion (equivalent to ${{#expr:({{Inflation|US|3000|1992|r=-2}}/1000) round 2}}&nbsp;billion in {{Inflation/year|US}}) in assets, including the missile systems and [[Cessna]]. On 9 December 1992, he sold the military aircraft division to the [[Lockheed Corporation]] for $1.5&nbsp;billion (equivalent to ${{#expr:({{Inflation|US|1500|1992|r=-2}}/1000) round 2}}&nbsp;billion in {{Inflation/year|US}}), which included the [[General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon|F-16 jet fighter]].<ref name = "Selloff to Lockheed">{{cite news
 |last1        = Harmon
 |first1       = Amy
 |last2        = Vartabedian
 |first2       = Ralph
 |title        = Lockheed Vaults to Top of Jet Fighter Business
 |work         = Los Angeles Times
 |date         = 10 December 1992
|pages        = B5–B6
 |url          = https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-general-dynamics-s/149007921/
 |access-date  = 9 June 2024
|url-access   = subscription
 |via          = Newspapers.com
 |archive-date = 9 June 2024
|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20240609175142/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-general-dynamics-s/149007921/
 |url-status   = live
}}</ref> These selloffs reduced the number of employees from 98,600 to around 35,000, and the company's debt from $430&nbsp;million (equivalent to ${{Inflation|US|430|1994|r=-2}}&nbsp;million in {{Inflation/year|US}}) to $183&nbsp;million (equivalent to ${{Inflation|US|183|1994|r=-2}}&nbsp;million in {{Inflation/year|US}}). Value was returned to the shareholders in the form of $600&nbsp;million in dividends. Although annual sales dropped from $10 to $3.5&nbsp;billion, the value of the company's share price quadrupled. Anders earned over $40&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite news |title=Big Payout by General Dynamics |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |first=Calvin |last=Sims |date=19 March 1993 |page=D1 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/03/19/business/big-payout-by-general-dynamics.html |access-date=11 August 2022 |archive-date=11 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220811193911/https://www.nytimes.com/1993/03/19/business/big-payout-by-general-dynamics.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=General Dynamics CEO to Step Down |first=Steven |last=Pearlstein |date=19 March 1993 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1993/03/19/general-dynamics-ceo-to-step-down/acca6850-0766-4d3b-8c40-a0893a21d586/ |access-date=11 August 2022 | url-access = subscription}}</ref> He retired as CEO in 1993,<ref name = "Steps down as CEO">{{cite news
 |author       = Tribune Staff
 |agency       = Tribune Wire Service
 |title        = Cuts at General Dynamics base
 |work         = [[Chicago Tribune]]
 |date         = 19 March 1993
|page         = 43
 |url          = https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-bill-anders-steps-down-a/149005225/
 |access-date  = 9 June 2024
|url-access   = subscription
 |via          = Newspapers.com
 |archive-date = 10 June 2024
|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20240610183653/https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-bill-anders-steps-down-a/149005225/
 |url-status   = live
}}</ref> and as chairman on 4 May 1994.<ref name="Steps down as Chairman">{{cite news
 |author       = AP Staff
 |agency       = The Associated Press
 |title        = EB's parent may buy or sell some businesses
 |work         = [[Hartford Courant]]
 |date         = 5 May 1994
|pages        = C1–C2
 |url          = https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-bill-anders-steps-down-a/149006441/
 |access-date  = 9 June 2024
|url-access   = subscription
 |via          = Newspapers.com
 |archive-date = 10 June 2024
|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20240610183655/https://www.newspapers.com/article/hartford-courant-willam-a-anders-steps/149006441/
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}}</ref>
[[File:Bergen Air Show 075.jpg|thumb|right|Anders taxiing a [[North American P-51 Mustang]] at [[Bergen]] Air Show in 2005]]