 During the war, Horne was actually "de facto" CNO, since King was preoccupied with his COMINCH and Joint Chiefs of Staff duties.King and Horne informally agreed that King would manage the war, leaving logistical matters to Horne and his top assistant, Rear Admiral Lynde D. McCormick.Horne was also the officer responsible for budgets and financial management, the Navy's principal uniformed spokesman before Congress, and a member—and later chairman—of the Army–Navy Petroleum Board from May 1943 to September 1945.