colonel january june fighter pilot flying ace world war united_states_air_force korean war career total victories seven pilots achieve ace status different wars born iowa gained interest flying young age left college joined posted new_guinea fight theatre world war mainly escorted bombers shooting japanese aircraft course war including morning war flew command fighter squadron mobilized korea following outbreak korean war later transferred united_states_air_force flew alley north american sabre scoring victories returning remained air_force retirement earned master degree economics law degree assigned vietnam fly combat missions retiring traveled pacific boat family living pacific islands settling louisiana died nearby stomach cancer early life education born january iowa son edward grew small house iowa interest aviation began sat cockpit age thrill life thirteen short flight aircraft built model hobby adrenaline release joined swimming wrestling teams graduating january began studying participated year transferred known helped start club military career world war december attack pearl harbor went iowa city enlisted program january following year sent soon inducted long new went california physical examinations went north primary training january class wear lack standard uniforms trained ryan recruits moving basic flight training brother robert enlisted spent weeks basic training classmates went luke field near phoenix arizona advanced flight training july commissioned second lieutenant received wings sent south_carolina city air base florida flying bell 20th late september posted 8th sent san_francisco california staying personnel moved boarded ship officers enlisted men comprising headquarters hawaii stay long set sail time flanked naval task force overnight stop fiji landed destination queensland australia initially brigadier general commander organized session new pilots charters towers airport april equipped 8th relocated new_guinea shortly promoted lieutenant saw combat april engaged aerial combat destroying 8th mainly escorted dropping supplies ground troops jungle late moved recently captured japanese frequently bombed 8th switched escorting north american mitchell attacks saw little action saw combat protecting boeing flying fortress bombers october led groups aircraft intercept approaching reconnaissance aircraft chased plane minutes flying miles hour getting firing range shot aircraft causing left engine explode plane crashed navigational instruments forced fly japanese occupied town fortunately caught surprise shot fuel spare safely landed overhead enemy reconnaissance aircraft later month heavy rainfall muddy allow lockheed squadrons including 8th relocated miles north airfield soon contracted malaria went australia recover weeks returned normal duties january leading flights aircraft attempt assist escorting bombers near encountered enemy aircraft shot likely tony making ace awarded extraordinary heroism engagement end war flew combat missions destroyed enemy aircraft post war returned june discharged wanted complete studies soon personally immediately enrolled school president request return school graduated degree economics subsequently went houston texas entered municipal bonds business joined fellow pilots viewed enjoyed tenure flew promoted major appointed commander october squadron ordered active duty serve korean war assigned headquarters persuaded commander allow officers fly combat tour korea war fought june allowed transfer active duty air_force sent nevada instructed gunnery named operations officer korean war determined ace wars studied reports got silk coat special glasses allowed twice far normal survival kit later transferred members including equipped north american got wing kill war november near pilot shooting ejected plane exploded piece plane embedded proving kill group commander december got second kill chasing altitude feet spun control pilot ejected likely dying exposure temperatures january transferred air base help transition propeller jet mid february wing pilots trained february chasing noticed attacking engaged shot flying low china low fuel fuel land park aircraft march came shot shot second ran ammunition remaining leaking fuel engine stopped told finish crippled plane pilot enemy airfield mission gave total victories short kills needed ace status march fired sheer ass luck knocked wing tip kept chase shooting short bursts pilot ejected right base way home destroyed bringing total war 28th ace 18th wing air_force sent got april day left unexpectedly went impromptu mission kill sum war missions later work remained returned promoted lieutenant colonel june commanded squadron victoria texas later headed fighter day wing equipped super sabre transferred japan chief fighter branch tour duty briefly returned texas advisor april honored dedication new hangar field houston james air national guard facility later spring moved hawaii renamed relocated japan hawaii earned master degree economics promoted rank colonel march left hawaii job california studied attending required relocate washington enrolled completed studies earned degree assignment vice commander 8th tactical fighter wing george air force base california vietnam war posted vietnam work seventh air_force director combat operations control center tan son air base argued general air_force role vietnam proposed air assets strategic targets insisted solely country support army ground operations eventually asked air_force remove vietnam early air_force reassigned thailand quickly set similar combat operations control center conduct air operations trail retirement death retired air_force february worked law firm los_angeles wife children traveled pacific boat living hawaii guam met wife orlando florida ferry pilot member practiced law wife taught college eventually returned united_states settled louisiana living years died stomach cancer june nearby july buried military honors arlington national cemetery aerial victory credits career credited victories world war korean war seven pilots achieve ace status flying planes world war jets korean war vermont garrison air_force pilots marine_corps awards decorations received numerous awards decorations services citation lieutenant awarded extraordinary heroism connection military operations armed enemy serving pilot fighter airplane 8th fighter squadron aerial combat enemy forces january date lieutenant shot enemy aircraft single engagement lieutenant aerial combat keeping highest traditions military service reflects great credit 5th air_force
James P. Hagerstrom