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U.S. Air Force fighter pilot ace visits McChord Field

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Todd Wivell
  • 62nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. --  Recently the U.S. Air Force celebrated its 68th birthday celebration on Sept. 18th. Just a day before that on Sept. 17th, a part of the rich Air Force heritage, Brig. Gen. (retired) Steve Ritchie, the only Air Force fighter pilot ace since the Korean War, and his wife Mariana, visited the Airmen of Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Ritchie spent the day visiting with different organizations throughout McChord Field and shared in his stories of the past while relating with today's Air Force.
The general is the only Air Force fighter pilot ace of the Vietnam War, downing five MiG-21's, and is America's only MiG-21 ace.

His first stop was at the First Term Airman's Center, in which he was able to talk to 19 Airmen who were brand new to the Air Force and McChord Field.

From there he visited the men and women of the Western Area Defense Sector and had a chance to socialize with Airmen from the National Guard who work there every day in support of our nation's national defense.

He and Mariana continued on to have a lunch at the Olympic dining facility with 20 Airmen from across McChord Field and again shared in some of his stories while continuing to relate with today's Air Force.

After lunch, the general and his wife continued on to the 4th Airlift Squadron in which more than 125 Airmen from McChord had gathered to hear the words from a part of their Air Force history.

Ritchie started with telling stories of how he started his Air Force career as a walk-on to the Air Force Academy football team and played as starting halfback for the Falcons in 1962 and 1963, with his final game in the 1963 Gator Bowl.

From there the general began to recount some of his Air Force stories talking about how he survived 800 hours of combat and 339 combat missions.

"I have many reasons to be happy to be here but another reason I am happy to be here is that on April of 1972 I really shouldn't have made it," said Ritchie. "On my very first mission over Hanoi there were three surface-to-air missiles, missiles the size of a telephone pole that are meant to be deadly within proximity of 150 feet of an aircraft, and on my very first mission, three of these came within 100 feet of my airplane and failed to detonate."

He went on to discuss how the men and women who supported him during this time meant so much and how it led to his success.

"There are many other times that if it had not been for thousands and thousands of people, the entire military and civilian support community, who are proud of their work and performed in a professional and outstanding manner, I would not be a fighter ace and I probably would not be alive.

"There are reasons for my success during this time and you know what they are, they are what you live by today and include preparation, teamwork, discipline, dedication, education, training, communication, enthusiasm, attitude, will, determination, integrity," Ritchie continued. "Surely all of you will agree they are the elements and keys that go into the make-up of success, achievement, quality, excellence and everything that we do personal or professional and are the foundations of what make us today's Air Force."

Ritchie continue to talk about the leaders of his past and how they played such a big part of his life and his career.

He talked about how leaders inspire those around them and talked about how what they do can affect those around them and emphasized it has never been more important than it is today to be a good leader.

He shared more stories and then turned the floor over to his wife who spoke to what it was like to grow up under a communist dictator and how she loved America so much.

Concluding the talk with the Airmen, Ritchie stayed around to sign autographs and shared in one-on-one conversations with Airmen who wanted to hear more from a part of our Air Force history.

The day concluded when the Ritchie's along with others in attendance were escorted out to see one of the 48 C-17 Globemaster III aircraft assigned to McChord.

"I appreciate the invite here to McChord very much and you guys have been great hosts," said Ritchie "We get to go to a lot of places and get to do a lot of this but never have we been treated better...we really appreciate your hospitality and thank you for inviting us.

"I want you to know that I wouldn't be a fighter ace and I wouldn't be alive without airlifters, like you, and so many others in the support community."