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Commanders
Every Man a Tiger: The Gulf War Air Campaign
General Chuck Horner commanded the U.S. and allied air assets—the forces of a dozen nations—during Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and was responsible for the design and execution of one of the most devastating air campaigns in history. Never before has the Gulf air war planning, a process filled with controversy and stormy personalities, been revealed in such rich, provocative detail. And in this revised edition, General Horner looks at the current Gulf conflict—and comments on the use of air power in Iraq today.
564 pages, Hardcover
First published May 10, 1999
124 people are currently reading
1410 people want to read
About the author
Tom Clancy
823 books9,078 followersThomas Leo Clancy Jr. was an American novelist and military-political thriller pioneer. Raised in a middle-class Irish-American family, he developed an early fascination with military history. Despite initially studying physics at Loyola College, he switched to English literature, graduating in 1969 with a modest GPA. His aspirations of serving in the military were dashed due to severe myopia, leading him instead to a career in the insurance business.
While working at a small insurance agency, Clancy spent his spare time writing what would become The Hunt for Red October (1984). Published by the Naval Institute Press for an advance of $5,000, the book received an unexpected boost when President Ronald Reagan praised it as “the best yarn.” This propelled Clancy to national fame, selling millions of copies and establishing his reputation for technical accuracy in military and intelligence matters. His meticulous research and storytelling ability granted him access to high-ranking U.S. military officials, further enriching his novels.
Clancy’s works often featured heroic protagonists such as Jack Ryan and John Clark, emphasizing themes of patriotism, military expertise, and political intrigue. Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, he became one of the best-selling authors in America, with titles like Red Storm Rising (1986), Patriot Games (1987), Clear and Present Danger (1989), and The Sum of All Fears (1991) dominating bestseller lists. Several of these were adapted into commercially successful films.
In addition to novels, Clancy co-authored nonfiction works on military topics and lent his name to numerous book series and video game franchises, including Rainbow Six, Ghost Recon, and Splinter Cell. His influence extended beyond literature, as he became a part-owner of the Baltimore Orioles baseball team and was involved in various business ventures, including a failed attempt to purchase the Minnesota Vikings.
Politically, Clancy was a staunch conservative, often weaving his views into his books and publicly criticizing left-leaning policies. He gained further attention after the September 11 attacks, discussing intelligence failures and counterterrorism strategies on news platforms.
Clancy’s financial success was immense. By the late 1990s, his publishing deals were worth tens of millions of dollars. He lived on an expansive Maryland estate featuring a World War II Sherman tank and later purchased a luxury penthouse in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.
He was married twice, first to Wanda Thomas King, with whom he had four children, and later to journalist Alexandra Marie Llewellyn, with whom he had one daughter.
Tom Clancy passed away on October 1, 2013, at the age of 66 due to heart failure. His legacy endures through his novels, their adaptations, and the continuation of the Jack Ryan series by other writers.
While working at a small insurance agency, Clancy spent his spare time writing what would become The Hunt for Red October (1984). Published by the Naval Institute Press for an advance of $5,000, the book received an unexpected boost when President Ronald Reagan praised it as “the best yarn.” This propelled Clancy to national fame, selling millions of copies and establishing his reputation for technical accuracy in military and intelligence matters. His meticulous research and storytelling ability granted him access to high-ranking U.S. military officials, further enriching his novels.
Clancy’s works often featured heroic protagonists such as Jack Ryan and John Clark, emphasizing themes of patriotism, military expertise, and political intrigue. Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, he became one of the best-selling authors in America, with titles like Red Storm Rising (1986), Patriot Games (1987), Clear and Present Danger (1989), and The Sum of All Fears (1991) dominating bestseller lists. Several of these were adapted into commercially successful films.
In addition to novels, Clancy co-authored nonfiction works on military topics and lent his name to numerous book series and video game franchises, including Rainbow Six, Ghost Recon, and Splinter Cell. His influence extended beyond literature, as he became a part-owner of the Baltimore Orioles baseball team and was involved in various business ventures, including a failed attempt to purchase the Minnesota Vikings.
Politically, Clancy was a staunch conservative, often weaving his views into his books and publicly criticizing left-leaning policies. He gained further attention after the September 11 attacks, discussing intelligence failures and counterterrorism strategies on news platforms.
Clancy’s financial success was immense. By the late 1990s, his publishing deals were worth tens of millions of dollars. He lived on an expansive Maryland estate featuring a World War II Sherman tank and later purchased a luxury penthouse in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.
He was married twice, first to Wanda Thomas King, with whom he had four children, and later to journalist Alexandra Marie Llewellyn, with whom he had one daughter.
Tom Clancy passed away on October 1, 2013, at the age of 66 due to heart failure. His legacy endures through his novels, their adaptations, and the continuation of the Jack Ryan series by other writers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
April 3, 2017
Tom Clancy - Every Man A Tiger
I just finished this book and I feel like I have just been through a war figuratively. As a US Air Force officer who was just starting out during the time of the Gulf War, I had been looking forward to reading this book for a long time. I had already learned quite a bit about the Gulf War through other sources, I read this book because General. Horner lived the experience It is partially a biography of General Chuck Horner (CENTAF) during Operation Desert Storm and Desert Shield), but mostly it is a study of the command decisions, preparations, and execution of air war of Operation Desert Storm.
Every Man A Tiger primarily covers the planning, the problems, and execution of the Gulf War air campaign through writing of Tom Clancy and its commander General Chuck Horner. Instead of giving a blow-by-blow account of the Gulf War's air operations from August 1990 to March 1991, Clancy and Horner decided to give background of not only it's commander (Horner) but of the U.S. Air Force that deployed to Saudi Arabia in the fall of 1990.
Chuck Horner is a real man and takes you through some very interesting history of the U.S Air Force. A fighter pilot who talks about the school of hard knocks the Air Force went through to get to be the ultimate military machine it is today. Filled with facts but told in a way no non-fiction writer could.
I really enjoyed this documentary type story on Chuck Horner during his role as air commander during the Desert Shield/Storm operations. The fact that he learned from past lessons both his own and others and the fact that he really tried to understand friends and foes alike show what kind of leader he is. There was a lot to enjoy about this book, not sure how accurate and true every little thing is since it is written by Chuck and Tom Clancy, but still very enjoyable.
I just finished this book and I feel like I have just been through a war figuratively. As a US Air Force officer who was just starting out during the time of the Gulf War, I had been looking forward to reading this book for a long time. I had already learned quite a bit about the Gulf War through other sources, I read this book because General. Horner lived the experience It is partially a biography of General Chuck Horner (CENTAF) during Operation Desert Storm and Desert Shield), but mostly it is a study of the command decisions, preparations, and execution of air war of Operation Desert Storm.
Every Man A Tiger primarily covers the planning, the problems, and execution of the Gulf War air campaign through writing of Tom Clancy and its commander General Chuck Horner. Instead of giving a blow-by-blow account of the Gulf War's air operations from August 1990 to March 1991, Clancy and Horner decided to give background of not only it's commander (Horner) but of the U.S. Air Force that deployed to Saudi Arabia in the fall of 1990.
Chuck Horner is a real man and takes you through some very interesting history of the U.S Air Force. A fighter pilot who talks about the school of hard knocks the Air Force went through to get to be the ultimate military machine it is today. Filled with facts but told in a way no non-fiction writer could.
I really enjoyed this documentary type story on Chuck Horner during his role as air commander during the Desert Shield/Storm operations. The fact that he learned from past lessons both his own and others and the fact that he really tried to understand friends and foes alike show what kind of leader he is. There was a lot to enjoy about this book, not sure how accurate and true every little thing is since it is written by Chuck and Tom Clancy, but still very enjoyable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 6, 2010
I just finished this book, and, quite frankly, I feel like I have just been through a war. As a US Air Force officer who was just starting out during the time of the Gulf War, I had been looking forward to reading this book for a long time. I had already learned quite a bit about the Gulf War through other sources, but I was looking for a legitimate source of what was actually happening, on the ground and in the air, from a day-to-day perspective, and from somebody who had lived the experience.
This was the right book! The opening chapters introduce us to Gen Chuck Horner in an autobiographical approach. We learn what motivates him as a pilot, as an officer, and as a human being. We gain some insights from his experiences during Vietnam, and ultimately learn how that affected his approach to the Gulf War.
But the bulk of the book is about the Gulf War, and how the coalition forces made their decisions on the best way to approach the battle situation. My favorite partsin this book, were the "day-in-the-life" segments. We get to follow Gen Horner from the moment he wakes up, through briefings, visits to units, phone calls, problem solving, meetings with coalition partners, etc. to the minute he finally, gets to go to bed. We see and appreciate the job he does at the most mundane level, and yet understand how those small things lead to the big picture of war fighting. Gen Horner is generous in spreading the credit for successes and does not hold back in accepting blame when that is appropriate.
The only reason I didn't rate this book 5 stars is the lengthy explanations of air power and strategy. For those who are not familiar with such concepts, this information is vital, and so you should consider my rating to be 5 stars.
Finally, I appreciated Gen Horner's essay's on coalition building and the future of air and space power. I was fortunate enough to be assigned to Space Command for a short time before Gen Horner retired as CINCSPACE and from the US Air Force. And even though I was but a lowly Lieutenant, and never spoke directly with Gen Horner, I can tell you his impact on all of us was profound. As Tom Clancy states at the end of the book, "Gen Chuck Horner was the right man at the right time."
This was the right book! The opening chapters introduce us to Gen Chuck Horner in an autobiographical approach. We learn what motivates him as a pilot, as an officer, and as a human being. We gain some insights from his experiences during Vietnam, and ultimately learn how that affected his approach to the Gulf War.
But the bulk of the book is about the Gulf War, and how the coalition forces made their decisions on the best way to approach the battle situation. My favorite partsin this book, were the "day-in-the-life" segments. We get to follow Gen Horner from the moment he wakes up, through briefings, visits to units, phone calls, problem solving, meetings with coalition partners, etc. to the minute he finally, gets to go to bed. We see and appreciate the job he does at the most mundane level, and yet understand how those small things lead to the big picture of war fighting. Gen Horner is generous in spreading the credit for successes and does not hold back in accepting blame when that is appropriate.
The only reason I didn't rate this book 5 stars is the lengthy explanations of air power and strategy. For those who are not familiar with such concepts, this information is vital, and so you should consider my rating to be 5 stars.
Finally, I appreciated Gen Horner's essay's on coalition building and the future of air and space power. I was fortunate enough to be assigned to Space Command for a short time before Gen Horner retired as CINCSPACE and from the US Air Force. And even though I was but a lowly Lieutenant, and never spoke directly with Gen Horner, I can tell you his impact on all of us was profound. As Tom Clancy states at the end of the book, "Gen Chuck Horner was the right man at the right time."
November 7, 2017
To much technical jargon. To much TOT, CAP, RESCAP and many more acronyms. Is acronyms the right definition? I don't really care. This was not my kind of book. But I didn't completely hate this book. When I could quit dozing off, I did learn some interesting things.
August 24, 2023
eponymous sentence:
p55: When Chuck Horner was in the program, its unofficial title was "Every Man a Tiger," and the main emphasis, aside from flying and gunnery, was on the pilot's attitude and self-confidence.
spaces:
p11: Ionce observed that fighter pilots are little boys who never really get past the stage of buzzing past little girls on their bikes.
p119: "...If I were you, I' d be worried."
p155: And sometimes I' d arrange situations that would make that happen.
p170: Since General Schwarzkopf 's house was only two blocks away, just in back of the base officers' club, he got up, dressed, and walked over.
p445: Schwarzkopf 's dilemma remained "When do we cross the border?..."
p459: When I challenged all this (even to the point of risking exposure to Schwarzkopf 's wrath), then the jig was up, and the Army had to come clean.
tense:
p36: However, modern warfare has changed so greatly, the tempo of war has speeded up so much, and a good modern army is so mobile (you don't know what you need because you don't know where you'll be fighting), that scheduling air strikes in the old way had become seriously counterproductive.
label:
p205: There would eventually be bright spots, like the arrival of the 24th Mechanized Infantry Division with its M1A1 heavy tanks and M2/3 Bradley fighting vehicles, or the rapid movement of the French ground forces from the port of Yanbu on the Red Sea across Saudi Arabia to the eastern province.
cement:
289: The clay hardened like cement and gave the camp a stable base.
p414: 0625 I walk down the basement corridor--bare cement with guard posts roughly every hundred yards--past the computer room.
spelling:
p314: Though we didn't know it yet, KARI was about to commit hari-kari, by getting in the way of a bunch of grimly determined airmen.
Great insight. Just the right combination to pull it off.
p55: When Chuck Horner was in the program, its unofficial title was "Every Man a Tiger," and the main emphasis, aside from flying and gunnery, was on the pilot's attitude and self-confidence.
spaces:
p11: Ionce observed that fighter pilots are little boys who never really get past the stage of buzzing past little girls on their bikes.
p119: "...If I were you, I' d be worried."
p155: And sometimes I' d arrange situations that would make that happen.
p170: Since General Schwarzkopf 's house was only two blocks away, just in back of the base officers' club, he got up, dressed, and walked over.
p445: Schwarzkopf 's dilemma remained "When do we cross the border?..."
p459: When I challenged all this (even to the point of risking exposure to Schwarzkopf 's wrath), then the jig was up, and the Army had to come clean.
tense:
p36: However, modern warfare has changed so greatly, the tempo of war has speeded up so much, and a good modern army is so mobile (you don't know what you need because you don't know where you'll be fighting), that scheduling air strikes in the old way had become seriously counterproductive.
label:
p205: There would eventually be bright spots, like the arrival of the 24th Mechanized Infantry Division with its M1A1 heavy tanks and M2/3 Bradley fighting vehicles, or the rapid movement of the French ground forces from the port of Yanbu on the Red Sea across Saudi Arabia to the eastern province.
cement:
289: The clay hardened like cement and gave the camp a stable base.
p414: 0625 I walk down the basement corridor--bare cement with guard posts roughly every hundred yards--past the computer room.
spelling:
p314: Though we didn't know it yet, KARI was about to commit hari-kari, by getting in the way of a bunch of grimly determined airmen.
Great insight. Just the right combination to pull it off.
April 13, 2016
Every Man A Tiger primarily covers the planning, the problems, and execution of the Gulf War air campaign through writing of Tom Clancy and it's commander General Chuck Horner. Instead of giving a blow-by-blow account of the Gulf War's air operations from August 1990 to March 1991, Clancy and Horner decided to give background of not only it's commander (Horner) but of the U.S. Air Force that deployed to Saudi Arabia in the fall of 1990. The quick, but thorough biography of Horner went hand in hand with a history of the Air Force especially on how the service almost collapsed during and immediately after Vietnam then how it was rebuilt into an effective fighting force by the time of the Gulf War.
This background information served well as Clancy and Horner described the planning of the Air Campaign, primarily how Horner along with other Vietnam veterans wanted to avoid the mistakes of the past as well as tackling the challenges of creating a Coalition Air Force. Once the war started, the authors wrote about various challenges that Horner and his command faced throughout the six weeks of exclusive air operations before the ground war began.
The thoroughness of this process is a highlight of this book. I have seen some reviews that dislike the biographical portion of Ever Man A Tiger and while I understand some of their compliants, however Horner's biography and the accompany history of the U.S. Air Force was integral in knowing why the air campaign was planned as it was. I will admit that I did get bogged down at times when the details got too technical, but those times were few and far between. Overall I recommend this book for anyone interested in an in-depth look at the planning and execution of military affairs related to the Gulf War or the Air Force.
This background information served well as Clancy and Horner described the planning of the Air Campaign, primarily how Horner along with other Vietnam veterans wanted to avoid the mistakes of the past as well as tackling the challenges of creating a Coalition Air Force. Once the war started, the authors wrote about various challenges that Horner and his command faced throughout the six weeks of exclusive air operations before the ground war began.
The thoroughness of this process is a highlight of this book. I have seen some reviews that dislike the biographical portion of Ever Man A Tiger and while I understand some of their compliants, however Horner's biography and the accompany history of the U.S. Air Force was integral in knowing why the air campaign was planned as it was. I will admit that I did get bogged down at times when the details got too technical, but those times were few and far between. Overall I recommend this book for anyone interested in an in-depth look at the planning and execution of military affairs related to the Gulf War or the Air Force.
January 20, 2019
A very accurate fictionalization of Desert Storm and the ongoing dispute between Horner and Warden. Warden's side of the events is omitted from this book and leaves it rather one-sided in Horner's favor.
July 16, 2022
Book Review - Tom Clancy takes a look at war with the commander of U.S. allied air assets during Desert Shield and Desert Storm, jet-pilot-turned-Desert-Storm-air-commander General Chuck Horner. This book, “Every Man A Tiger” is Clancy's second book in the Commander Series of the U.S. armed forces. The story is less about the Gulf War than about the making of a modern day jet pilot into a general and the remaking of a modern air force. Horner was part of a new Air Force generation that rejected the old Strategic Air Command model of "predictability, order and control" in favor of a holistic approach to air power and air command. A firm believer in central control of air assets, Horner also regarded traditional distinctions between "strategic" and "tactical" air as no longer relevant. What mattered was the appropriate situational use of air power in an integrated war plan. The main text demonstrates Horner's success in implementing his concepts over Iraq. Though the narrative offers no startling insights or revelations, Clancy and Horne make the important contribution of presenting command friction as a natural consequence of interaction among senior officers with high intelligence and strong wills. The implication is clear…to succeed in an unpredictable international environment, America's armed forces will need tigers at their head. Tigers are dangerous. They challenge each other. They take issue with higher wisdom and higher authority. And, according to Clancy and General Horner, they can be replaced by safely neutered house cats but only at the country's peril. Good military history read…
January 30, 2020
It’s 1990, and the Gulf War and Operation Desert Storm are happening. In the Air, 4-Star General Chuck Horner starts towards his new F-16 Falcon Fighter and flies for Saudi Arabia at 1500 mph. There he meets up with some generals from a massive coalition of forces, designed to end expansion into Kuwait. As the operation starts, everything is a complete mess, disorganized without anyone trusting each other or any reliable news. As the operation goes on, and the air-force becomes more powerful with the latest technology and almost singlehandedly push back Iraq using Apaches and Vipers. The book ends as the Iraqi soldiers are retreating,
This is a great book, and although author Tom Clancy goes a bit too much into depth of military lore, with lots of great depth in questions posed by readers, and also allows for vivid imagery and depth of military meetings, allowing us to smell the coffee and sense of urgency that happened there. I would recommend this book to older readers interested in a military career and can also be great material for commanders studying battle tactics, although it is a bit of a boring book in some parts.
This is a great book, and although author Tom Clancy goes a bit too much into depth of military lore, with lots of great depth in questions posed by readers, and also allows for vivid imagery and depth of military meetings, allowing us to smell the coffee and sense of urgency that happened there. I would recommend this book to older readers interested in a military career and can also be great material for commanders studying battle tactics, although it is a bit of a boring book in some parts.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2021
A little disorganized and rambling, but a good history of the air campaign and other aspects of the 1991 Persian Gulf War from Horner’s perspective. Much of the information is covered in other works on this subject but it is informative to read his version of events and gain insight into his decisions and read his opinions of his fellow officers (and theirs if him in their biographies). Last but certainly not least his account of the air war in Vietnam (which he flew in) is perhaps the most interesting part of the book.
February 16, 2021
Since the book was written in 1999, much changed in the nature of international conflicts. While the book presents Gen Horner's new philosophy after Vietnam, the subsequent post 9/11 conflicts demonstrated the huge difference required for asymmetrical warfare as in Iraq 2 and Afghanistan. The book details the many lessons learned from Desert Storm especially the building of a coalition.
April 18, 2018
A summary of the air war against Iraq in the first Gulf War after the invasion of Kuwait. Told from the perspective of from the Air Force commander who led the build up and the air war. Insightful look at 90s technology and lethality. Well written and paced.
July 29, 2019
A great read especially if you have served in the Air Force
I found the book technically informative as all Tom Clancy novels are but did find in somewhat repetitive in certain chapters. I just wrote it off as the author trying to drive his point home.
I found the book technically informative as all Tom Clancy novels are but did find in somewhat repetitive in certain chapters. I just wrote it off as the author trying to drive his point home.
October 20, 2019
Interesting read about leadership but it can be a grind to get through. It has Clancy's typical attention to detail but it takes away from the reading experience which gets boring after a while... something I never thought I'd say about Tom Clancy.
December 3, 2020
A very good history of employing AirPower
This book, which I have both the print and audiobooks of, is quite extensive in how US AirPower was employed in Vietnam and the 1991 Persian Gulf War. If you’re into such things written at a non academic level p, then get this book!
This book, which I have both the print and audiobooks of, is quite extensive in how US AirPower was employed in Vietnam and the 1991 Persian Gulf War. If you’re into such things written at a non academic level p, then get this book!
June 6, 2017
The best book I read. A must read to all fighter pilots and air commanders.
July 19, 2017
really good book
October 28, 2017
A good read about the Air force job in the gulf war
November 14, 2017
I had not read any history of the Gulf War, so from that point it was very enlightening. I struggled to finish the book but I am glad I did.
August 4, 2018
Good overview of Operation Desert Storm and what the USAF did to not repeat their failures at Vietnam.
April 28, 2020
Apart from the usual Clancy cliche this one is a good management study as well
September 22, 2020
After reading this I have a lot more respect for General Horner and the job done by the USAF!
May 14, 2021
It's Tom Clancy. It might not be fiction, but it's still Tom Clancy. I was of a certain age during the Gulf War, so this book has a special place on my shelf.
February 29, 2024
A great read and a lot of fun to read while I’m here flying in the Middle East.
July 1, 2025
There is a lot of good information in this cooperative venture between Clancy and Chuck Horner. There are points where it is really well written and other points where it rambles.
May 8, 2012
It reads like a vanity press effort for Gen. Horner and I don't understand why Clancy got involved. I'm sure Horner was a great and brave general (just ask him). He is certainly not an author. This book reads like a military manual. The reader must wade through mind-numbing arcania such as chain-of-command descriptions and an endless batch of acronyms. The constant ego trips of Horner (he was bright, practically everyone else was misinformed) are irritating. The theme and content were very interesting, its just too bad it was buried in such a ego-gratifying style of writing.
Errors by page:
18 "Bashkir...Far Eastern" I think you mean "Siberian"; the Bashkirs are not in the Far East. If "Bashkir" is not an ethnic Bashkir, why does he have this name? (There is a famous pianist with the name Bashkirov)
30 "Romual" Perhaps you mean the Polish first name Romual'd (the apostrophe indicating the Russian soft sign, that being how the name is spelled in Russian)
43 "Bishir yetso" Neither I nor another experienced Russian linguist have any idea what this means.
62 "Vor V. Zakone" The period is not necessary (it's not a middle name!); rather than "godfather", such a person is more like the Mafia "made man" or, simply, "professional (as opposed to petty) thief", who subscribes to a code. See "Soviet Prison Camp Speech", by Meyer Galler, based largely on Solzhenitsyn's early works, for an excellent reference on this subject
110 Republican convention "the previous summer"; in 1998?
181 "Gorbache"v He wasn't president in 1992
235 MIDI MIDI is a digital protocol governing the transmission of musical data between sound modules/synthesizers and computers or other sound modules/ synthesizers
261 Zgranitsa etc. Za granitsa (SIC) is a prepositional expression; no native Russian speaker would use it as the subject of a sentence like an English speaker might.
337 Mercedes Wold a rabid Russian nationalist/ Communist be seen in one of these? Bad image.
343 Komerade ? You mean "tovarishch"? "Komerad" is what German soldiers traditionally say when about to surrender
364 IL-76 This is a cargo plane, not a passenger plane. Although it is used to carry paratroopers, they don't sit in "passenger seats" any more than US airborne units do.
Errors by page:
18 "Bashkir...Far Eastern" I think you mean "Siberian"; the Bashkirs are not in the Far East. If "Bashkir" is not an ethnic Bashkir, why does he have this name? (There is a famous pianist with the name Bashkirov)
30 "Romual" Perhaps you mean the Polish first name Romual'd (the apostrophe indicating the Russian soft sign, that being how the name is spelled in Russian)
43 "Bishir yetso" Neither I nor another experienced Russian linguist have any idea what this means.
62 "Vor V. Zakone" The period is not necessary (it's not a middle name!); rather than "godfather", such a person is more like the Mafia "made man" or, simply, "professional (as opposed to petty) thief", who subscribes to a code. See "Soviet Prison Camp Speech", by Meyer Galler, based largely on Solzhenitsyn's early works, for an excellent reference on this subject
110 Republican convention "the previous summer"; in 1998?
181 "Gorbache"v He wasn't president in 1992
235 MIDI MIDI is a digital protocol governing the transmission of musical data between sound modules/synthesizers and computers or other sound modules/ synthesizers
261 Zgranitsa etc. Za granitsa (SIC) is a prepositional expression; no native Russian speaker would use it as the subject of a sentence like an English speaker might.
337 Mercedes Wold a rabid Russian nationalist/ Communist be seen in one of these? Bad image.
343 Komerade ? You mean "tovarishch"? "Komerad" is what German soldiers traditionally say when about to surrender
364 IL-76 This is a cargo plane, not a passenger plane. Although it is used to carry paratroopers, they don't sit in "passenger seats" any more than US airborne units do.
November 24, 2025
Every Man A Tiger is one of a set of books about the First Gulf War. Each of these is a collaboration between Tom Clancy and the top commander of one of the branches of the military that fought in that war. It includes a biography of the commander, a history of the U.S. military from Vietnam to the Gulf War with a focus on the things that changed for them in that time and the efforts made to make those changes, and a detailed account of the preparations for and actual fighting that took place in the war. The detailed accounts of the fighting include reports from several of the people who were on the ground (or in this case, in the air) for this fighting, giving an up-close view of what was going on. Thus, as with Clancy’s fictional works, you get at least some idea of the many people involved and what they were doing during the battles.
In this case, the commander is General Chuck Horner, Clancy’s co-author for this book. General Horner was an Air Force commander. For those who like this sort of thing, there is a lot of detail about fighter airplanes – their capabilities, how to fly them, and how to employ them in a battle, along with some of the problems they encountered in the Gulf War and how these problems were handled. Additional input for the book came from members of Horner’s support staff and the other air defense sections of the military and U S allies (the Saudi Air Force was intimately involved in the air defense of their country during this war). There were also some reports from individual fighters in the field. If you are interested in fighting aircraft or the art of making war with them, you will like this part of the book.
Despite how some people were disappointed in the outcome of the Gulf War, this seems to be about the best fighting the U S Military produced in recent years. They accomplished what they set out to do and then got out. It makes the situations they are up against now look so much bleaker by comparison.
In this case, the commander is General Chuck Horner, Clancy’s co-author for this book. General Horner was an Air Force commander. For those who like this sort of thing, there is a lot of detail about fighter airplanes – their capabilities, how to fly them, and how to employ them in a battle, along with some of the problems they encountered in the Gulf War and how these problems were handled. Additional input for the book came from members of Horner’s support staff and the other air defense sections of the military and U S allies (the Saudi Air Force was intimately involved in the air defense of their country during this war). There were also some reports from individual fighters in the field. If you are interested in fighting aircraft or the art of making war with them, you will like this part of the book.
Despite how some people were disappointed in the outcome of the Gulf War, this seems to be about the best fighting the U S Military produced in recent years. They accomplished what they set out to do and then got out. It makes the situations they are up against now look so much bleaker by comparison.
February 17, 2012
I really enjoyed this book. Clancy always does a great job at writing fiction and I was pleased that he was able to really capture this story and make it come alive.
Every Man A Tiger follows the career Chuck Homer from his experience as a fighter pilot in the Vietnam era to the general commanding the air component of the first Gulf War. In addition to providing interesting ideas about the nature of military command and what it entails, the book really changed my view of both wars. Though I have experiences such as running technology organizations that look radically different from the inside and out, I never really thought to try to imagine how military endeavors might be similar.
One striking example is how easy the beginning of the first Gulf War looked from the outside. It looked as though America and its allies dwarfed the capabilities of the enemy and simply had to assert its will. The book paints a picture of the best-defended and thus most difficult air assault in history. The prospect must have been extremely daunting. From the beginning losses were estimated to be far in excess of what I had thought... and they actually happened and I wasn't aware of it. The look inside was fascinating.
I wonder how different the difficulty and expectations would be today. The first Gulf War feels recent to me, but it is as distant as Vietnam during that war, and a very different military fought in those conflicts.
I look forward to the other Study in Command Clancy books.
Every Man A Tiger follows the career Chuck Homer from his experience as a fighter pilot in the Vietnam era to the general commanding the air component of the first Gulf War. In addition to providing interesting ideas about the nature of military command and what it entails, the book really changed my view of both wars. Though I have experiences such as running technology organizations that look radically different from the inside and out, I never really thought to try to imagine how military endeavors might be similar.
One striking example is how easy the beginning of the first Gulf War looked from the outside. It looked as though America and its allies dwarfed the capabilities of the enemy and simply had to assert its will. The book paints a picture of the best-defended and thus most difficult air assault in history. The prospect must have been extremely daunting. From the beginning losses were estimated to be far in excess of what I had thought... and they actually happened and I wasn't aware of it. The look inside was fascinating.
I wonder how different the difficulty and expectations would be today. The first Gulf War feels recent to me, but it is as distant as Vietnam during that war, and a very different military fought in those conflicts.
I look forward to the other Study in Command Clancy books.
July 13, 2011
Every Man a Tiger by Tom Clancy is a non-fiction book about the Air Force life and times of General Chuck Horner. But it’s much more than that.
I picked this book up because I saw Tom Clancy’s name on it—thought it would be one of his thrillers.
For me it’s interesting to read a renowned fiction writer produce a true story about the things he bases many of his book on—the U.S military.
Chuck Horner is a real man and takes you through some very interesting history of the U.S Air Force. A fighter pilot who talks about the school of hard knocks the Air Force went through to get to be the ultimate military machine it is today. Filled with facts but told in a way no non-fiction writer could.
Did you ever wonder how fighter planes were supposed to deliver nuclear bombs and survive? What changes had to be made to downsize and make the Air Force the ultimate deterrent it is today? What it feels like to fly some of the fastest, deadliest and most beautiful aircraft ever made?
This is a great read for anyone wanting to see inside the U.S Air Force and get to know a hero.
I picked this book up because I saw Tom Clancy’s name on it—thought it would be one of his thrillers.
For me it’s interesting to read a renowned fiction writer produce a true story about the things he bases many of his book on—the U.S military.
Chuck Horner is a real man and takes you through some very interesting history of the U.S Air Force. A fighter pilot who talks about the school of hard knocks the Air Force went through to get to be the ultimate military machine it is today. Filled with facts but told in a way no non-fiction writer could.
Did you ever wonder how fighter planes were supposed to deliver nuclear bombs and survive? What changes had to be made to downsize and make the Air Force the ultimate deterrent it is today? What it feels like to fly some of the fastest, deadliest and most beautiful aircraft ever made?
This is a great read for anyone wanting to see inside the U.S Air Force and get to know a hero.
August 28, 2008
This is basically a biography that focuses on the growth of the U.S. Air Force as told to Tom Clancy by one man. The story starts in the days leading up to the Gulf War and then whips back to pre-vietnam as we follow one pilot in his career. His career culminates as being the commander of the Air forces in the Gulf War.
This is told very well and made a great book on CD to listen to while commuting. There are a few lessons from the air force that I think corporate America could follow, especially decentralization which gives people the ability to solve their own problems creatively.
I recommend it to people who like military history as well as organizational management - similar to how Shackleton's history of a failed attempt on the south pole is used to teach leadership.
This is told very well and made a great book on CD to listen to while commuting. There are a few lessons from the air force that I think corporate America could follow, especially decentralization which gives people the ability to solve their own problems creatively.
I recommend it to people who like military history as well as organizational management - similar to how Shackleton's history of a failed attempt on the south pole is used to teach leadership.
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