Frank C. Hearrell Jr.

Ace: Frank C. Hearrell Jr. Branch: United States Naval Reserve Conflict: World War II Hometown: Bronte, TX Rank: Lieutenant Victories: Five confirmed, one damaged Decorations: Distinguished Flying Cross with one Gold Star, Bronze Star with Combat ‘V’, Air Medal with five Gold Stars and the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat ‘V’   Frank Clint (Sack) Hearrell Jr. was born on 2…

James Jabara

Ace: James Jabara Branch: United States Army Air Force Conflict: World War II, Korean War Hometown: Muskogee, OK Rank: Major Victories: 16 ½ confirmed (1 ½ in World War II and 15 in Korea), four probable and seven damaged Decorations: Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross with five Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Medal with 23…

Robin Olds

Ace: Robin Olds Branch: United States Army Air Force Conflict: World War II, Vietnam War Hometown: Honolulu, HI Rank: Major Victories: 18 confirmed, five probable Decorations: Distinguished Flying Cross with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Bronze Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, Chinese Air Force Medal (2), Order of the Cloud Banner (2)   Born into an Army…

American Fighter Aces

American Fighter Aces By J. Ward Boyce with expanded text by Bill Martin   The American Fighter Aces Association currently recognize 1,442 fighter pilots as Aces.   In general, the World War I list includes those accepted by the individual services under the rules at that time. For example, pilots in the U.S. Air Service…

History of the American Fighter Ace: Vietnam War

History of the American Fighter Ace: Vietnam War By Bill Hess with expanded text by Bill Martin   The long war in Vietnam presented little opportunity for air-to-air scoring by fighter pilots, much less making a large number of Aces. All fighter operations took place under numerous restrictions and the number of enemy fighters available…

History of the American Fighter Ace: World War II

History of the American Fighter Ace: World War II By Bill Hess with expanded text by Bill Martin   December 7,1941 brought the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and America’s formal entry into World War II. American fighter pilots were in action from the very first. Army pilot George Welch was credited with four Japanese…

History of the American Fighter Ace: World War I

History of the American Fighter Ace: World War I By Bill Hess with expanded text by Bill Martin   During the First World War, the airplane became a primary weapon system. True, the earliest flights were strictly observation missions, but it was inevitable that English and French aircrews would sight German aircraft. Eventually they flew…