Herres Dies

July 29, 2008

The first commander in chief of US Space Command, retired Air Force Gen. Robert T. Herres, 75, died July 24 at his home in San Antonio after two-year fight against brain cancer, according to a July 26 Associated Press report (via Houston Chronicle). Herres retired from the Air Force in 1990, last serving as vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He entered USAF in 1954 after graduating from the US Naval Academy and flew fighter-interceptors after completing pilot training. Among his numerous assignments, Herres led Air Force Communications Command and 8th Air Force and served as commander of Air Force Space Command and NORAD.

Related Content

Hegseth Orders 20% Cut in 4-Star Generals and Admirals, Seeks Overhaul of Commands

May 5, 2025
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is directing the Pentagon to slash the number of senior generals and admirals, he announced May 5—at least 20 percent of four-star positions would be eliminated under the move. Hegseth also said he is directing a sweeping review of U.S. military commands and staffs, signaling…

DOD Shows It Can Reuse Hypersonic Testbed, Setting Up Faster Testing

May 5, 2025
The Stratolaunch Talon-A2 hypersonic vehicle flew a second time in March, after a first flight in December, making it the first re-usable hypersonic test craft since the X-15, the Pentagon announced May 5. The craft is expected to increase the pace of hypersonic testing and experimentation.

Meeting the Software Challenge: Acquisition Reform Brings Its Own Complications

May 5, 2025
The new rules for buying software made mandatory by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s March 6 memo are designed to strip away constraints on how the DOD and the military services contract with private sector companies, so that they can buy, integrate, and deploy innovative capabilities more quickly. But critics warn…

Air Force May Restructure Boot Camp to Cut Classroom Instruction, Add More PT

May 5, 2025
Beginning in the fall, 2nd Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Wolfe Davidson plans to introduce a new curriculum for Basic Military Training that will focus on training Airmen and Space Force Guardians in much smaller groups, while replacing some classroom instruction with a more hands-on learning approach.

US Air Force Taps Boneyard Jets to Keep Ukraine’s F-16s Flying

May 3, 2025
The U.S. has approved a $310.5 million Foreign Military Sale to provide Ukraine with maintenance and training for its F-16 fighter jets, the State Department announced May 2. Meanwhile, the U.S. Air Force has been sending retired F-16s to Ukraine to be used for spare parts.

RAF Unveils Its Own Plan for New Drones to Fly Alongside Fighters

May 2, 2025
The United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force has unveiled a new electronic warfare drone designed to fly with fighter jets into contested airspace, including alongside its fleet of F-35s. RAF says it plans to develop models that draw on the U.S. Air Force’s approach of mating unmanned systems with crewed platforms.