Vietnam flying ace tells JROTC students: Let dreams take flight

[unhappycamper]

Vietnam flying ace tells JROTC students: Let dreams take flight
By Chris Miles, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Thursday, October 25, 2007

KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany — Standing in front of a projector screen before 22 Kaiserslautern High School students, retired Air Force Col. Chuck DeBellevue explained the sequence of a U.S. jet missile hitting its target during a dogfight in the Vietnam War.

DeBellevue, the last active-duty Air Force ace when he retired, spoke Tuesday to three Air Force Junior ROTC classes, showing videos of U.S. fighters downing MiGs and explaining that the war he fought in 40 years ago is the same type of battle U.S. forces are in today.

His presentation kept the students glued to their seats.

“DeBellevue brings to life what we are talking about in the classroom,” said retired Air Force Col. Leon Stamm, a senior aerospace science instructor and teacher of the class DeBellevue addressed.

“And the kids have been excited, we even had some come in from other classes.”

During his combat tour in Vietnam, DeBellevue logged 550 combat hours and flew in 220 combat missions as a weapons system officer behind the pilot in F-4 fighter jets. He was the first weapons systems officer, and the second person overall, to become an ace during the Vietnam War.


Rest of article at: http://stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=49766

[Berry Cool]

1. But Our Fearless Leader told us that families are

where wings take dream.

[Kolesar]

2. I would have been transfixed, too, when I was a teenager

Cannot say I agree that modern air war is the same as the type of battle U.S. forces are in today, though.