Stephen L. Bettinger (April 28, 1924 – December 4, 2010) was a

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...

flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviation, military aviator credited with shooting down a certain minimum number of enemy aircraft during aerial combat; the exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ...

during the

Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...

, credited with shooting down five enemy aircraft. Bettinger also claimed 1 kill in

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. He was the final American ace of the Korean War with his final victory claimed on July 20, 1953. He was subsequently shot down and taken prisoner.

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* * 1924 births 2010 deaths American Korean War flying aces American prisoners of war in the Korean War Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 (France) Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States) Recipients of the Legion of Merit Recipients of the Silver Star Shot-down aviators United States Air Force officers United States Army Air Forces pilots of World War II {{USAF-bio-stub

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