Brigadier General “Steve” Ritchie is the U.S. Air Force’s only pilot ace of the Vietnam War. Born in North Carolina in 1942, he graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1964. He then attended undergraduate pilot training in Texas where he...
General Lloyd W. “Fig” Newton made many contributions to US aviation history, from flying F-4 Phantoms in Vietnam, to being the first African-American Thunderbird pilot, to commanding the Air Education and Training Command. A native of Ridgeland, South...
As a Weapon Systems Officer in the F-4D, Roger Locher shot down three MiG-21s in Vietnam and went on to become involved in one of the greatest evasion epics of the war. He entered the Air Force in 1969 through ROTC and completed navigator training. Assigned to the F-4...
Joseph W. Kittinger, Jr., commanded the 555th Triple Nickel Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS) in Vietnam, was a POW in the Hanoi Hilton, and is the current world record holder for highest manned balloon flight, longest parachute jump, and longest freefall. Born in...
Colonel (ret.) Charles B. “Chuck” DeBellevue is America’s top ace of the Vietnam War and the last ace to serve on active duty in the United States Air Force. Colonel DeBellvue was first selected as an Eagle by Air Command and Staff College’s...
