Hermes, Harald G.

Major General Harald G. Hermes is vice commander, Headquarters 9th Air Force, and deputy commander, U.S. Central Command Air Forces, Shaw Air Force Base, S.C.

General Hermes was born in 1937, in Pontiac, Mich., and graduated from Columbia High School, Maplewood, N.J., in 1955. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in geology from Cornell University in June 1960 and a master’s degree in public administration from Auburn University in 1980. The general completed the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in 1971, Air Command and Staff College in 1973, and Air War College in 1980.

He was commissioned through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program and received pilot training at Moore and Laredo Air Force bases, Texas, earning wings in September 1961. After advanced training he was assigned as an F-100 pilot with the 522nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., in October 1962.

In April 1965 General Hermes transferred to Royal Air Force Station Lakenheath, England, where he served with the 493rd Tactical Fighter Squadron and, then, with the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing as a standardization and evaluation pilot. He returned to the United States in April 1968 and completed F-105 training at McConnell Air Force Base, Kan. In November 1968 he was assigned to the 357th Tactical Fighter Squadron and, later, to the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing, both at Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand. While at Takhll, he completed 130 combat missions.

General Hermes transferred to Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., in November 1969 and served as an instructor pilot, first in F-100s and, later, in A-7Ds. From August 1971 to December 1973 he was an A-7D instructor pilot and flight commander with the 333rd Tactical Fighter Training Squadron and, subsequently, with the 357th Tactical Fighter Squadron, both at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.

In December 1973 General Hermes transferred to Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va., where he served as a staff officer and A-7 program training manager in the Directorate of Operations and Training, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations. In August 1976 he was assigned to the 425th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, Williams Air Force Base, Ariz., as operations officer, flying F-5s. In October 1977 he became commander of the 354th Tactical Fighter Squadron, later the 357th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.

After completing Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., in June 1980, General Hermes was assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., as deputy chief and, later, chief of the Tactical Division, Directorate of Operations and Readiness. In February 1982 he became vice commander of the 31st Tactical Training Wing, Homestead Air Force Base, Fla., and in May 1983 he was assigned as commander of the 347th Tactical Fighter Wing, Moody Air Force Base, Ga. He returned to Tactical Air Command headquarters in February 1985 as assistant deputy chief of staff for plans and, in June 1985, was assigned as assistant deputy chief of staff for operations. From March 1987 through July 1989 he was Tactical Air Command’s chief of staff. In August 1989 the general became deputy commander/chief of staff, 4th Allied Tactical Air Force, Heidelberg, West Germany. He assumed his present position in October 1991.

The general is a command pilot with more than 4,200 flying hours, including 417 combat hours, in eight different types of aircraft. His military awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with six oak leaf clusters, Vietnam Service Medal with five service stars, and Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm.

He was promoted to major general May 1, 1989, with same date of rank.