MAJOR GENERAL HOMER K. HANSEN
Major General Homer K. Hansen is vice commander of Aeronautical Systems Division, Air Force Systems Command, at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
General Hansen was born in 1922, in St. Ansgar, Iowa, where he graduated from high school in 1939. He received a bachelor of science degree in political science from Jackson College, Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1943. In April 1943 he entered aviation cadet training and in December 1943 was commissioned as second lieutenant with pilot wings at Aloe Field, Texas.
During World War II, he served as a P-47 pilot instructor at Seymour Johnson Field, N.C., from January 1944 to March 1945. He then was assigned to the Ninth Air Force in the European Theater of Operations where he flew P-47 aircraft in support of General Patton's Third Army in France and Germany.
After World War II, in September 1945, General Hansen returned to civilian status for two years. He was integrated into the Regular Air Force in October 1947 and served at Turner Air Force Base, Ga., from August 1948 to January 1951. He next was assigned to the Far Eastern Air Forces as a pilot with the 8th Fighter Bomber Wing at Itazuke, Japan. While with the 8th Wing, he was the first Air Force pilot to complete 100 combat missions in the Korean War.
In January 1951 General Hansen was assigned as a pilot to the 20th Fighter Bomber Wing, Shaw Air Force Base, S.C. He went with the wing in May 1952 to England and in July 1954 became operations officer for the 81st Fighter Bomber Wing.
General Hansen returned to the United States in June 1955 to serve successively as operations officer, squadron commander, and commander of the 405th Fighter Bomber Group at Langley Air Force Base, Va. In August 1958 he entered the Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
He next served on plans and operations staffs including positions as program officer in the Directorate of Operations at Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va. (January 1959-September 1960); executive assistant to Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Operations, Pacific Command, Hawaii (October 1960-July 1963); plans and programs officer for war plans, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, including special duty with Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C. (July 1963-March 1965); and member of the Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (April 1965-July 1967). During his assignment on the Joint Staff, he was project officer for the relocation of U.S. forces from France. In July 1967 he became commander, 27th Tactical Fighter Wing, Cannon Air Force Base, N.M.
General Hansen was transferred to the Republic of Vietnam in May 1968 as commander, 3d Tactical Fighter Wing, Bien Hoa Air Base. He flew 230 combat missions in F-100, F-4 and A-37 aircraft. He was appointed director, Tactical Air Control Center, Headquarters Seventh Air Force, Tan Son Nhut Airfield, in May 1969.
He became commander, U.S. Air Force Tactical Fighter Weapons Center, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., in November 1969. He returned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force, in August 1971, as director of operational requirements and development plans, Deputy Chief of Staff for Research and Development.
General Hansen was assigned as vice commander, Aeronautical Systems Division, Air Force Systems Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, in August 1972.
His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal; Legion of Merit; Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters; Bronze Star Medal with "V" device; Air Medal with 21 oak leaf clusters; Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster; Presidential Unit Citation Emblem with two oak leaf clusters; Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with palm; Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal, First Class with two palms; and the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon. He has flown combat in fighter aircraft in three wars: World War II, Korea and Southeast Asia, accumulating more than 350 missions, totaling 570 combat hours.
He was promoted to the grade of major general effective Sept. 1, 1971, with date of rank Nov. 12, 1967.
(Current as of Feb. 1, 1973)
General Hansen was born in 1922, in St. Ansgar, Iowa, where he graduated from high school in 1939. He received a bachelor of science degree in political science from Jackson College, Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1943. In April 1943 he entered aviation cadet training and in December 1943 was commissioned as second lieutenant with pilot wings at Aloe Field, Texas.
During World War II, he served as a P-47 pilot instructor at Seymour Johnson Field, N.C., from January 1944 to March 1945. He then was assigned to the Ninth Air Force in the European Theater of Operations where he flew P-47 aircraft in support of General Patton's Third Army in France and Germany.
After World War II, in September 1945, General Hansen returned to civilian status for two years. He was integrated into the Regular Air Force in October 1947 and served at Turner Air Force Base, Ga., from August 1948 to January 1951. He next was assigned to the Far Eastern Air Forces as a pilot with the 8th Fighter Bomber Wing at Itazuke, Japan. While with the 8th Wing, he was the first Air Force pilot to complete 100 combat missions in the Korean War.
In January 1951 General Hansen was assigned as a pilot to the 20th Fighter Bomber Wing, Shaw Air Force Base, S.C. He went with the wing in May 1952 to England and in July 1954 became operations officer for the 81st Fighter Bomber Wing.
General Hansen returned to the United States in June 1955 to serve successively as operations officer, squadron commander, and commander of the 405th Fighter Bomber Group at Langley Air Force Base, Va. In August 1958 he entered the Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
He next served on plans and operations staffs including positions as program officer in the Directorate of Operations at Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va. (January 1959-September 1960); executive assistant to Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Operations, Pacific Command, Hawaii (October 1960-July 1963); plans and programs officer for war plans, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, including special duty with Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C. (July 1963-March 1965); and member of the Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (April 1965-July 1967). During his assignment on the Joint Staff, he was project officer for the relocation of U.S. forces from France. In July 1967 he became commander, 27th Tactical Fighter Wing, Cannon Air Force Base, N.M.
General Hansen was transferred to the Republic of Vietnam in May 1968 as commander, 3d Tactical Fighter Wing, Bien Hoa Air Base. He flew 230 combat missions in F-100, F-4 and A-37 aircraft. He was appointed director, Tactical Air Control Center, Headquarters Seventh Air Force, Tan Son Nhut Airfield, in May 1969.
He became commander, U.S. Air Force Tactical Fighter Weapons Center, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., in November 1969. He returned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force, in August 1971, as director of operational requirements and development plans, Deputy Chief of Staff for Research and Development.
General Hansen was assigned as vice commander, Aeronautical Systems Division, Air Force Systems Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, in August 1972.
His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal; Legion of Merit; Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters; Bronze Star Medal with "V" device; Air Medal with 21 oak leaf clusters; Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster; Presidential Unit Citation Emblem with two oak leaf clusters; Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with palm; Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal, First Class with two palms; and the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon. He has flown combat in fighter aircraft in three wars: World War II, Korea and Southeast Asia, accumulating more than 350 missions, totaling 570 combat hours.
He was promoted to the grade of major general effective Sept. 1, 1971, with date of rank Nov. 12, 1967.
(Current as of Feb. 1, 1973)