Augusto Hughes

Augusto Hughes
Born	1931
Died	1993
Allegiance	Argentina
Service/branch	Argentine Air Force
Rank	Brigadier General (equivalent to 3-star or 4-star rank)

Augusto Jorge Hughes (1931–1993) was an Argentine Air Force pilot. He was the second son of the Scottish descendant William Hughes and Josefa Settecase. He was born in Rosario, Santa Fé. A J Hughes entered the Argentine Military Flying School "Escuela de Aviación Militar" in 1948, located in Córdoba. Over his flying career, he flew the British Gloster Meteor aircraft while he was a lieutenant and later on, the American Sabre F 86.

In 1966 he was sent as a captain to the USA in order to bring the firsts A4B Skyhawks, which were destined to the 5th Air Brigade "V Brigada Aérea" in Villa Reynolds, San Luis.

By the beginning of the Falklands War on April 1982, he became a Major Brigadier as the head of the Air Defense Command, organizing the air strike raids against the British Task Force, which sunk or caused severe damage to about 20 war and vessel ships approaching the islands. The Argentine air fleet was mainly composed of American jetplanes Douglas A4B-C Skyhawk, French Mirage, Israeli Dagger and the British bomber Canberra. The navy contributed with French Super Etendart and American A4Q Skyhawks. Argentine Pucará and Italian Aermacchi operated from the local airports of the Falklands Islands.

Mj Brig Hughes also organized the deployment of the anti-aircraft artillery around the two main airfields. About 10 British incoming Harriers of different types were shot down or severely damaged, most of them at low altitude. Argentina lost about 60 planes and 8 ships.

By the end of the war on June 1982, he was pointed by the surviving pilots to become the new Commander-in-Chief of the Argentine Air Force.^[1]

In 1983, elections were called and 5 days before president Alfonsin took power on December 10th, he retired and his pilot career came to an end.

References

1. Through this way Brig Gen J Hughes became a member of Argentina's fourth military junta of the National Reorganization Process. Argentine Presidents, 1944-1989