Major General Stewart R.
Byrne serves as the Air National Guard assistant to the commander, Pacific Air Forces,
Hickam AFB, Hawaii. He advises the commander on all matters pertaining to the Air National
Guard.
The general received his commission through the Reserve Officer Training Corps upon graduation from the University of Louisville in 1962. After receiving his wings, he served as an undergraduate pilot training instructor in Texas, and later as a fighter pilot in South Vietnam and Europe.
General Byrne joined the Kentucky Air National Guard in 1971, where he held the positions of squadron commander, and wing deputy commander for operations. He returned to active duty in 1982 as the Air National Guard advisor to the commander, Ninth Air Force, and later served as the advisor to the commander, Tactical Air Command. In July 1990 he returned to the Kentucky Air National Guard serving as vice wing commander and commander of the 123d Airlift Wing. In May 1995 he assumed his present position as ANG assistant to the commander, Pacific Air Forces. He is a command pilot with more than 5,600 flying hours and 294 combat missions.
1962 Bachelor of science degree in commerce, University of Louisville, Ky.
1966 Squadron Officers School
1975 Air Command and Staff College
1977 Industrial College of the Armed Forces
1. April 1962 - May 1963, student, undergraduate pilot training, Moody AFB, Ga.
2. May 1963 - November 1966, T-33/T-38 instructor pilot, Laughlin AFB, Texas.
3. November 1966 - April 1967, student, F-100 combat crew training, Cannon AFB, N.M.
4. April 1967 - May 1968, F-100 tactical fighter pilot, 510th Tactical Fighter Squadron,
Bien Hoa Air Base, South Vietnam.
5. May 1968 - May 1970, F-100 pilot/assistant flight commander, 79th Tactical Fighter
Squadron, RAF Woodbridge, United Kingdom.
6. May 1970 - May 1971, wing emergency actions officer, 81st Tactical Fighter Wing, RAF
Bentwaters, United Kingdom.
7. May 1971 - October 1971, inactive status.
8. October 1971 - May 1973, RF-101 tactical reconnaissance pilot/assistant flight
leader/flight leader, 165th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Kentucky Air National Guard,
Louisville, Ky.
9. May 1973 - February 1977, RF-101/RF-4 chief of standardization/evaluation, 123rd
Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, Kentucky Air National Guard, Louisville, Ky.
10. February 1977 - May 1977, chief of the command post, 123rd Tactical Reconnaissance
Wing, Kentucky Air National Guard, Louisville, Ky.
11. May 1977 - July 1978, deputy director of operations, 123rd Tactical Reconnaissance
Wing, Kentucky Air National Guard, Louisville, Ky.
12. July 1978 - December 1979, commander, 165th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Kentucky
Air National Guard, Louisville, Ky.
13. December 1979 - February 1982, deputy commander for operations, 123rd Tactical
Reconnaissance Wing, Kentucky Air National Guard, Louisville, Ky.
14. February 1982 - February 1986, Air National Guard advisor to the commander, 9th Air
Force, Shaw AFB, S.C.
15. February 1986 - July 1986, vice wing commander, 123rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing,
Kentucky Air National Guard, Louisville, Ky.
16. July 1986 - July 1990, Air National Guard advisor to the commander, Tactical Air
Command, Langley AFB, Va.
17. July 1990 - August 1991, vice wing commander, 123rd Tactical Airlift Wing, Kentucky
Air National Guard, Louisville, Ky.
18. August 1991 - April 1992, chief of staff, Headquarters Kentucky Air National Guard,
Louisville, Ky.
19. April 1992 - May 1995, commander, 123rd Airlift Wing, Kentucky Air National Guard,
Louisville, Ky.
20. May 1995 - Present, Air National Guard assistant to the commander, Pacific Air Forces,
Hickam AFB, Hawaii.
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: More than 5,600
Military aircraft flown: T-29, T-33, T-37, T-38, F-100, RF-101, RF-4, C-12, and C-130
Silver Star
Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross with one bronze oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with fourteen oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm
Second Lieutenant - January 31, 1962
First Lieutenant - October 21, 1963 (Permanent First Lieutenant - April 21, 1965)
Captain - October 21, 1966 (Permanent Captain - April 21, 1969)
Major - July 13, 1974
Lieutenant Colonel - July 14, 1978
Colonel - December 1, 1981
Brigadier General - October 6, 1992
Major General - August 2, 1996
The date of publication indicated on this biography reflects the most recent update. It does not necessarily reflect the date of printing.