Joseph C. McConnell

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Joseph C. McConnell in his F-86 following his last mission in Korea

Joseph Christopher McConnell, Jr. (born January 30, 1922 - died August 25, 1954) was the top American ace during the Korean War. A native of Dover, New Hampshire, Captain McConnell shot down 16 MiG-15s while flying F-86 Sabre jets for the U.S. Air Force. McConnell was the first triple jet fighter ace in history and is still the top-scoring American jet ace.

1 World War II
2 Korean War
3 Tragedy
4 See also
5 External links
6 References

[edit] World War II

During World War II McConnell entered Army Air Force Flight Cadet training. His dream of becoming a pilot was dashed when instead of going to pilot training he was assigned to navigator training. After completing training McConnell flew combat missions in Europe as a B-24 navigator. He remained in the Army Air Force after the war eventually entering flight training. In 1948 McConnell achieved his goal of becoming a fighter pilot.

[edit] Korean War

The Korean War began on June 25, 1950 when North Korea invaded South Korea. As war raged across the Korean peninsula, McConnell sought to be part of it. He was assigned to the 39th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron of the 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing in Korea in late 1952. Gifted with keen eyesight McConnell proved to be an aggressive MiG hunter. Despite this he didn't get his first kill until the new year. McConnell scored all of his kills over a four month period, from January 14 to May 18, 1953.

McConnell flew at least three F-86 Sabres. His first kills were scored in an F-86E-10 named "Beautious Butch" (serial number 51-2753, buzz number FU-753). The name referred to the nickname of his wife, Pearl "Butch" Brown. The second was an F-86F-15 also named "Beautious Butch" (serial number 51-12971, buzz number FU-971). This aircraft was shot down on April 12, 1953 with Captain McConnell ejecting and subsequently being rescued from the Yellow Sea by helicopter. His final combat Sabre was an F-86F-1 again named "Beautious Butch" (serial number 51-2910, buzz number FU-910. This aircraft was repainted following his final mission with the name inexplicably being changed to Beauteous Butch II.)

On his last day flying in combat, May 18, he shot down 3 MiGs in two separate missions bringing his kill total to 16 becoming the first triple jet ace. Immediately after his 16th kill McConnell was sent back to the United States along with Manuel "Pete" Fernandez, the top ace of the 4th Fighter Wing. For his exploits he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC).

[edit] Tragedy

After returning to his home in Apple Valley, California, McConnell was stationed at George Air Force Base and continued flying F-86s. In 1954 he was temporiarily assigned to the service testing program of the newest F-86 -- the F-86H. This was the last and most powerful version of the Sabre and was intended to be a nuclear-capable fighter-bomber. On August 25, 1954, while testing the fifth production F-86H (serial number 52-1981), at Edwards Air Force Base, he was killed in a crash following a control malfunction. The crash's cause was attributed to a missing bolt. Then-Major Chuck Yeager was assigned to investigate the crash and replicated the malfunction at a much higher altitude, recovering before he hit the desert floor.

The 1955 film The McConnell Story chronicles his life story, starring Alan Ladd and June Allyson. In 1961, a book entitled "Sabre Jet Ace" by Charles Ira Coombs chronicled his amazing experience as a fighter pilot in Korea in a fictionalized biography for young readers.

[edit] See also

List of Korean War air aces

[edit] External links

The Crash of McConnell's F-86H
Photograh of McConnell's Sabre showing the name "Beauteous Butch II", Sabres and Aces: These rare color images present some of the pilots and aircraft that made history in the Korean War, Air Force Magazine, Sept. 2006, p. 85.
Capt. Joseph McConnell Account of McConnell's Korean War experiences, with photographs.
F-86H photo Excellent F-86H photograph from National Museum of the USAF.