Charles A. Horner

General, U.S. Air Force

Charles A. Horner was born on 19 October 1936 in Davenport, IA, and attended the University of Iowa where he was in the Air Force ROTC program. On 13 June 1958, Horner was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, just before his graduation from UOI. He was awarded his pilot wings in November 1959 and was given a Regular Air Force commission in 1962.

During the Vietnam War, he flew 41 combat missions over North Vietnam in the F-105 during a tour. He later flew more than 70 combat missions as an F-105 Wild Weasel pilot, deliberately drawing anti-aircraft fire to identify and destroy North Vietnamese defenses. He received the Silver Star for his actions in Vietnam.

His commands have included a tactical training wing; fighter wing; two air divisions; and a numbered Air Force. While Commander of 9th Air Force, he also Commanded U.S. Central Command Air Forces, in command of all U.S. and Allied air assets during operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. During the Desert Shield phase of the conflict, Horner briefly served as Commander-in-Chief - Forward of U.S. Central Command; while General Schwarzkopf was in the U.S.

On 1 July 1992, Horner was promoted to the four-star rank of General and made Commander-in-Chief, North American Aerospace Defense Command (CINCNORAD); Commander-in-Chief U.S. Space Command (USCINCSPACE); and Commander, Air Force Space Command (COMAFSPC) at Peterson AFB, CO. He was responsible for the aerospace defense of the U.S. and Canada, and the exploitation and control of space for national purposes through a far-flung network of satellites and ground stations throughout the world.

General Horner retired from the Air Force on 30 September 1994. During his service, he became a Command Pilot with over 5,300 flying hours in F-100, F-105, F-4, F-15, and F-16 aircraft.

Education

1958 Bachelor of Arts degree, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA

1967 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL

1972 Master of Business Administration degree, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA

1972 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, VA

1974 Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, DC

1976 National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, DC

Promotion dates

Second Lieutenant - 13 June 1958

First Lieutenant - 12 June 1960

Captain - 1 October 1963

Major - 1 June 1969

Lieutenant Colonel - 1 November 1973

Colonel- 1 February 1975

Brigadier General - 1 August 1982

Major General - 1 July 1985

Lieutenant General - 1 May 1987

General - 1 July 1992

Assignments

October 1958 - June 1959, student, officer preflight training, Spence AFB, GA.

June 1959 - October 1960, student, pilot training, Laredo AFB, TX.

October - November 1960, student, F-100 combat crew training, Luke AFB, AZ, and Nellis AFB, NV.

November 1960 - December 1963, F-100 pilot, 492nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, Royal Air Force Station Lakenheath, England.

December 1963 - December 1965, F-105 pilot, 4th Tactical Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson AFB, NC.

June 1965 - December 1965, temporary duty as F-105 pilot, 388th Tactical Fighter Wing, Korat Royal Thai AFB, Thailand.

December 1965 - May 1967, F-105 Instructor Pilot, Nellis AFB, NV.

May 1967 - September 1967, F-105 Wild Weasel Pilot, Korat Royal Thai AFB, Thailand.

September 1967 - October 1969, F-105 Instructor Pilot, Nellis AFB, NV, then Liaison Officer, Air Force Tactical Fighter Weapons Center, Nellis AFB, NV.

October 1969 - January 1971, Air Operations Staff Officer, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans, Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley AFB, VA.