The Persian Gulf War is replete with stories of warriors who rose to the occasion and displayed those leadership attributes necessary to produce victory for the Allies. As the Air Component Commander for the US Central Command (CENTCOM) during Operation Desert Storm, Air Force General Chuck Horner epitomized the highest level of leadership. He masterfully designed and then flawlessly executed one of the most devastating air campaigns in history. In his second nonfiction book in a series that began with the acclaimed Into the Storm: A Study in Command, Tom Clancy once again offers an insider's look into the processes that forged victory in the 1991 Middle East War. Every Man a Tiger is a provocative look at the personalities and intricacies of military command. Writing with now-retired General Horner, Clancy verifies that he is a master at storytelling. Clancy and Horner trace the organizational success story of the U.S. Air Force's rise from the tribulations of Vietnam to the heights of victory in the Persian Gulf.
This book is both a comprehensive study of how the air campaign matured into an awesome display of power and precision, and a coming-of-age story of the United States Air Force. Then-Lieutenant General Chuck Horner wore two hats by mid-1990. As the Ninth Air Force Commander stationed in the continental United States, Horner was part of the United States Tactical Air Command, ready to provide air power to any one of the regional commands positioned throughout the world. However, when war was inevitable in the Middle East, Horner donned his second hat, that of leading the Central Command's Air Force, the air arm of General Norman Schwarzkopf's Central Command.
This is where Clancy picks up the story. He places the reader center stage on that fateful day in August 1990, when Horner was alerted to form the air forces that, some eight months later, would punish the Iraqi enemy. Interjecting stories about Horner's career, Clancy analyzes battle damage assessments, new information on sortie missions flown during the war, and details about how the massive Allied coalition was formed. Exploring the career of a fighter jock in combat, Clancy offers a peek into what makes a warrior like Chuck Horner great, and at the same time provides a useful analysis of how this warrior achieved victory.
Major Dominic Caraccilo is the Operations Officer of the 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne (Air Assault) in Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
