"The Last Ace" - The Atlantic Magazine article

Wed Feb 11, 2009 3:28 pm

Although not technically correct terminology -- Rico has three kills, not five -- still a very interesting article that I thought the WIXers might appreciate.

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200903/air-force

Wed Feb 11, 2009 3:57 pm

On that subject, I found Craig Brown's Debrief: A Complete History of U.S. Aerial Engagements - 1981 to the Present to be very interesting. Many of the accounts were provided by the pilots specifically for this book.

FYI:
http://www.amazon.com/Debrief-Complete- ... pd_sim_b_2

Wade

Wed Feb 11, 2009 9:51 pm

i'm not discounting the man's achievements, he has my utmost respect. but since when does 3 victories make an ace?? i believe steve ritchie is the last official 5 kill usaf ace.

Wed Feb 11, 2009 10:26 pm

tom d. friedman wrote:i'm not discounting the man's achievements, he has my utmost respect. but since when does 3 victories make an ace?? i believe steve ritchie is the last official 5 kill usaf ace.

Read the article! It doesn't claim that he had five victories, but states that at his retirement, he was the highest scoring USAF fighter pilot. Pretty neat read.

Ryan

Wed Feb 11, 2009 11:48 pm

Thanks, Randy.

Is there anything you would have changed if you had written the article?