24th Commanding General, PAF
29 November 1996- 08 January 1999
LT GEN WILLIAM K HOTCHKISS III AFP was born in Cantilan, Surigao del Sur on 08 January 1943 is from a Filipino and an American ancestry.
He was in his 3rd year in Civil Engineering at the Mapua Institute of Technology when he joined as an aviation cadet at the Philippine Air Force Flying School in 1962 and graduated No.2 in 1964. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aviation from Basa Air Base College in Pampanga in 1971 and he completed his Masters Degree in Education at the University of the Philippines in 1978.
Right after graduation from the PAF Flying School, he took the Academic and Flight Instructor Course at the 100th Training Wing. He was a top gun graduate of both the F-86F Combat Crew Training in 1967 and the F-5A/B Combat Crew Training in 1969 at the 105th Combat Crew Training Squadron of the 5th Fighter Wing. He completed the Squadron Officer Course at the Air Force Officer School in 1974 where he finished second. He likewise completed the Command and General Staff Course at the Spanish Air Force Command and General Staff College in Madrid, Spain in 1982. Later in his career, He took the Special Course on Negotiation at the National Defense College of the Philippines in 1983; the Course on Analysis of International Events from the Foreign Service Institute, Department of Foreign Affairs in 1989; and the International Fellowship Program from the National Defense University in Washington D.C., U.S.A. in 1991.
General Hotchkiss III held numerous significant positions such as Flight Commander of the 6th Tactical Fighter Squadron from 1970 to 1971 and 7th Tactical Fighter Squadron from 1971 to 1972; Commandant of the PAF Flying School in 1981; Deputy Commander of the Western Command in Palawan from 21 October 1991 to 10 June 1993; Wing Commander of the 570th Composite Tactical Wing in Palawan from 21 October 1991 to 10 June 1993; Chief of Air Staff from 11 June 1993 to 06 June 1994; Wing Commander of the 205th Helicopter Wing from 26 June 1994 to 20 January 1996; Division Commander of the 1st Air Division from 20 January to 01 April 1996; Vice Commander, PAF from 01 April to 29 November 1996; and finally as Commanding General of the Philippine Air Force from 28 November 1996 to 08 January 1999.
A fighter pilot and member of the famed Blue Diamonds precision aerobatic team, General Hotchkiss III is a recipient of various awards and decorations such as Distinguished Service Stars, Gold Cross Medal, Silver Wing Medal, Military Merit Medals, and “Kahusayan” Awards, among others.
Lieutenant General Hotchkiss III is married to the former Maria Teresa Paloma Y Escaño of Cebu City with whom he has four children namely Karla, Tanya, William IV and Steven.