American Fighter Aces Association
American Fighter Aces Association is a non-profit organization which recognizes the 1,450 combat American pilots (referred to as Aces) who have had five or more aerial victories in combat.[1][2] The AFAA is located in Seattle's Museum of Flight. The exhibit houses documents, artifacts and histories of the Aces.[3][4]
History
[edit]The American Fighter Aces Association was founded in 1960 to honor the 1,450 American "Ace" pilots.[2] On September 23, 1960, The AFAA held its first reunion in San Francisco, Calif.[1] To be a member honored by the association a pilot needs to have shot down at least five enemy aircraft in combat.[3]
Mission
[edit]The mission of the organization is to Preserve the records of American combat fighter Aces. Part of the mission is also to educate future generations. The AFAA also awards scholarships each year.[2]
Many of the Association's presidents have usually been aces. The organizations members are dying. In 2014 Lt. Gen. Charles "Chick" Cleveland served as president.[5][6] Clayton Kelly Gross served as president in 2016[7] Rear Admiral Edward Feightner also served the AFAA as president.[8]
Current living members
[edit]World War II
[edit]There are no living members from World War II following the deaths of Col. Perry J. Dahl and Col. Richard G. Candelaria in 2024.
Vietnam War
[edit]| Name | Organisation | Aerial victories |
|---|---|---|
| Col. Charles B. DeBellevue | USAF | 6 |
| Brig. Gen. Richard Stephen Ritchie | USAF | 5 |
| Lt. Col. Jeffrey Feinstein | USAF | 5 |
| CDR. Duke Cunningham | USN | 5 |
| CDR. William P. Driscoll | USN | 5 |
American Fighter Aces Congressional Gold Medal Act
[edit]The American Fighter Aces Congressional Gold Medal was awarded to every American Fighter Ace, on May 23, 2014, by the 113th Congress.[9] President and CEO of the AFAA attended a White House ceremony with President Barack Obama to sign the bill into law.[10]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "American Fighter Aces to Hold 50th Reunion". Museum of Flight. The Museum of Flight. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ^ a b c "About the American Fighter Aces Association". americanfighteraces.com. The American Fighter Aces Association. 11 July 2018. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ^ a b Walker, Richard (2 June 2015). "A top salute for local ace fighter pilot". Kitsap Daily News. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ^ American Library Directory. Vol. 2 (64th ed.). Information Today, Inc. 2011–2012. pp. 2568–2576. ISBN 978-1-57387-411-3.
- ^ Raustin (26 May 2015). "American Fighter Aces receive Congressional Gold Medal". Military Trader. Active Interest Media. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ^ "The Last American Aces". Air and Space magazine. August 2015. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ^ Vogt, Tom (8 February 2016). "Off Beat: WWII pilot one of the faces of America's fighter aces". The Columbian. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ^ Crowther, Linnea (7 April 2020). "Edward Feightner (1919–2020), World War II flying ace and Blue Angels pilot". Legacy. Legacy.com. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ^ 113th Congress. "H.R.685 - American Fighter Aces Congressional Gold Medal Act". Congress.gov. Library of Congress. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "American Fighter Aces to Hold 50th Reunion". Museum of Flight. The Museum of Flight. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
External links
[edit]- American Fighter Aces Oral Interviews at The Museum of Flight Digital Collections
- American Fighter Aces Association Video
Further reading
[edit]- Ward, Colonel (2010) [1996]. American Fighter Aces Album. New York: The American Fighter Aces Association. ISBN 9780942548631.