Gonzalo Puigcerver Romá facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gonzalo Puigcerver Romá
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|---|---|
| Chief of Defence | |
| In office 31 October 1986 – 18 May 1990 |
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| Monarch | Juan Carlos I |
| Prime Minister | Felipe González |
| Minister |
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| Preceded by | Admiral General Ángel Liberal Lucini |
| Succeeded by | Admiral Gonzalo Rodríguez Martín-Granizo |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 14 March 1924 Alicante, Spain |
| Died | 20 February 2012 (aged 87) Madrid, Spain |
| Alma mater | Academia General del Aire |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Spain |
| Branch/service |  Spanish Air and Space Force |
| Years of service | 1945—1990, 1990– 1996 (as second reserve) |
| Rank |  General of Air |
| Unit | Spanish Air Force |
| Commands |
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Gonzalo Puigcerver Romá was an important Spanish Air Force general. He was born in 1924 and passed away in 2012. From October 1986 to 1990, he served as the Chief of Defence. This role made him the highest-ranking military officer in Spain. He was the first person from the Air Force to hold this very important position.
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Early Life and Education
Gonzalo Puigcerver Romá was born on March 14, 1924, in San Juan, Alicante, Spain. He went to elementary and high school in Alicante. In 1939, during the Spanish Civil War, his family moved to Palma de Mallorca. He finished his high school studies there.
Military Career Highlights
Gonzalo Puigcerver Romá first started studying engineering. However, he soon decided to join the military. He enrolled in the Academia General del Aire, which is a special school for future air force officers. He graduated in 1949 as one of the first students from this academy. After graduating, he became a lieutenant and began his service in Alicante.
Early Air Force Roles
He was promoted to captain while still serving in Alicante. In 1952, he moved to the La Rabasa Air Base. The next year, in 1953, he went to a special school in Salamanca. There, he learned how to fly planes without being able to see outside, which is called "Flight without Visibility." He also practiced flying for about 100 hours with civil airlines.
In 1954, he traveled to the United States to learn English. After that, he went to a training course in Germany. He then became a flight trainer at the Basic Pilot School Matacán. He taught pilots how to fly the North American T-6 Texan aircraft.
Rising Through the Ranks
By 1957, he became a Squadron Leader. He then attended the General Staff Course, which is a high-level military training program, and completed it in 1958. After this, he worked as an Air Staff officer. In the early 1960s, he trained on jet aircraft like the Lockheed T-33 and North American F-86 Sabre. He served at different air bases, including Morón de la Frontera in Seville and Torrejón de Ardoz near Madrid.
He was promoted to Wing Commander in 1969. He continued to serve in important roles within the military. In 1971, he moved to Ala 12 at Torrejón de Ardoz Airport. By 1975, he transferred to the Air General Staff. After becoming a group captain (which is like a colonel), he was put in charge of the Alert and Control Wing in 1976.
Key Leadership Positions
In 1979, he became the chief of the Operations Division. In 1982, he was appointed as the deputy chief of the Air Transport Command. He also became the chief of the Air Sector in Zaragoza. He taught at flight schools in Jerez de la Frontera and Salamanca. Later, he worked at the Air Force Headquarters.
In 1984, he became the chief of the Canary Islands Area Air Command. After this, he was appointed as the Chief of the Material Command of the Air Force. This meant he was in charge of all the equipment and supplies for the Air Force.
Chief of Defence Staff
In 1985, Gonzalo Puigcerver Romá became the head of the Military Quarter of King Juan Carlos I. This meant he worked closely with the King and represented him at various events. In October 1986, he was appointed as the JEMAD, which stands for Chief of the Defence Staff. This was a very significant appointment, making him the top military leader in Spain. He also became a Natural Councilor of the Council of State at the same time. He held these positions until 1990 when he moved to the Second Reserve.
He left the JEMAD office in 1990. He had requested to retire due to health reasons since 1989. Admiral Gonzalo Martín-Granizo took over his role. From 1994 to 1996, he was a member of the Royal and Military Order of San Hermenegildo.
He also attended the inauguration of Teodoro Obiang, the President of Equatorial Guinea, in 1989. He was known to be a good friend of President Obiang.
Gonzalo Puigcerver Romá is well-known among military experts. He had first-hand experience with the big changes in the Spanish Air Force. He saw it transform from using propeller planes to modern supersonic jet aircraft.
Military Ranks Achieved
Gonzalo Puigcerver Romá received several promotions throughout his career:
- In 1979, he was promoted to Brigadier General of the Air Force.
- In 1982, he became a Major General.
- In 1984, he reached the rank of Lieutenant General of the Air.
- In 1999, he was given the honorary rank of General of the Air.
Family Life
Gonzalo Puigcerver Romá was married to Pilar Campos del Fresno. They had eight children together. One of his children, Chalo Puigcerver, is still alive.
Death
Gonzalo Puigcerver Romá passed away in Madrid, Spain, on February 14, 2012. He was 87 years old.
See also
In Spanish: Gonzalo Puigcerver Romá para niños
