Frederick C . Blesse Frederick Corbin " Boots " Blesse ( August 22 , 1921 – October 31 , 2012 ) was a retired American Air Force major general and flying ace . He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors on March 22 , 2013 , officially ' flying west ' . He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1945 . He flew two combat tours during the Korean War , completing 67 missions in F - 51s , 35 missions in F - 80s and 121 missions in F - 86s . During the second tour in F - 86s , he was officially credited with shooting down nine MiG - 15s and one La - 9 . At the time of his return to the United States in October 1952 , he was America ' s leading jet ace . General Blesse remained with fighter aircraft for practically his entire military career . During the 1955 Air Force Worldwide Gunnery Championship , he won all six trophies offered for individual performance , a feat never equaled . During the Vietnam War , he served two tours in Southeast Asia ; while on his first tour in 1967 - 1968 , he flew 156 combat missions . In December 1952 General Blesse went to Nellis Air Force Base , Nevada , where he served as a jet fighter gunnery instructor , squadron operations officer and squadron commander . He was a member of the Air Training Command Fighter Gunnery Team in 1954 and 1955 . Both years this team won the Air Force Worldwide Fighter Gunnery Championship . During the 1955 gunnery meet , General Blesse , flying an F - 86F aircraft , won all six trophies offered for individual performance , a feat that has never been equaled . During this tour of duty , General Blesse wrote his fighter tactics book , " No Guts , No Glory " . This book has been used as a basis of fighter combat operations for the Royal Air Force , the U . S . Marine Corps , Chinese Nationalist , Korean Air Force , and U . S . Air Force since 1955 . As recently as 1973 , 3 , 000 copies were reproduced and sent to tactical units in the field . In February 1956 he was transferred to Randolph Air Force Base , Texas , as chief of the Fighter Division of Crew Training Air Force . General Blesse was assigned to the 32d Fighter Interceptor Squadron , Soesterberg Air Base , the Netherlands , in July 1958 , and served as base and squadron commander of the F - 100 Super Sabre , F - 102 organization . He returned to the United States in August 1961 as a member of the Air Staff with the inspector general , Norton Air Force Base , California . In 1965 he was selected to attend the National War College in Washington , D . C . During this assignment he attended night school and earned a Master ' s Degree in international relations at The George Washington University . General Blesse again volunteered for combat duty and in April 1967 was assigned as director of operations for the 366th Tactical Fighter Wing at Da Nang Air Base , Republic of Vietnam . During this one - year tour of duty , he flew 108 combat missions over North Vietnam and another 46 in Laos and South Vietnam . He was decorated for valor for helping unload the bombs from a burning F - 4 Phantom II aircraft during a rocket attack . In May 1968 he again was assigned to Nellis Air Force Base , this time as director of operations of the U . S . Air Force ' s first General Dynamics F - 111 wing , the 474th Tactical Fighter Wing , and in June 1969 became commander . In July 1970 General Blesse became commander of the 831st Air Division at George Air Force Base , California , and then was selected for another tour of duty in the Republic of Vietnam as assistant director of operations for Seventh Air Force , Tan Son Nhut Air Base . In September 1971 he was assigned as assistant deputy chief of staff for operations , Headquarters Pacific Air Forces , Hickam Air Force Base , Hawaii , and in March 1972 became deputy chief of staff for operations . In November 1973 he was assigned as senior Air Force member , Weapons Systems Evaluation Group , in the Office of the Secretary of Defense . General Blesse was appointed deputy inspector general of the U . S . Air Force in August 1974 . He retired from the USAF in 1975 , with more than 6 , 500 flying hours in fighter - type aircraft and more than 650 hours combat time to his credit . Awards and decorations . His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal ; Silver Star with two oak leaf clusters ; Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster ; Distinguished Flying Cross with five oak leaf clusters ; Bronze Star with " V " device ; Air Medal with 20 oak leaf clusters ; Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster ; Army Commendation Medal ; Purple Heart ; and from the Republic of Vietnam the Cross of Gallantry ; Vietnam Honor Medal , 3d Class ; and the Honor Medal , 5th Class . He is a command pilot with more than 6 , 500 flying hours , most of which have been in fighter aircraft including the P - 40 , P - 47 , P - 51 Mustang , P - 80 , F - 86 , F - 100 , F - 102 , A - 7 , F - 104 , F - 106 , F - 4 , and F - 111 . He has more than 650 hours combat flying and is the nation ' s sixth ranking jet ace .