The Deadliest MiG Hunter Who Just Couldn't Stop

On the morning of September 9, 1972, amidst the bustling skies west of Hanoi, where clashes between American Phantoms and Soviet-made North Vietnamese Migs occurred with increasing frequency, Captain John A. Madden, Jr. and his Weapons Systems Officer Charles "Chuck" DeBellevue, embarked on MiGCAP duties. Together, they soared above the treacherous skies in their F-4D Phantom.
Suddenly, they locked onto a MiG, and the hunt turned into a confrontation as the duo maneuvered to engage. But while their target appeared within reach, the MiG pilot, adept at evasion tactics, detected their approach and swiftly accelerated away, eluding the Americans' pursuit.
Before long, their radar revealed another opportunity: two unsuspecting MiG-19s, oblivious to the precision of the weapons systems officer. The duoquickly executed a slicing, low-speed yo-yo maneuver, positioning themselves behind the enemy aircraft. DeBellevue then fired an AIM-9 Sidewinder, detonating just 25 feet from one of the Soviet-made planes. Without delay, they targeted the second MiG, launching another Sidewinder. DeBellevue observed the missile hitting the MiG's tail, sending the aircraft hurtling towards the ground.
As they returned to base, the adrenaline of the chase led them to believe they’d only shot the second MiG. Unbeknownst to them, they’d hit both. For Captain Madden, these triumphs marked his initiation into the elite circle of MiG hunters, securing his first and second victories. However, for Captain Chuck DeBellevue, that fateful day catapulted him into the spotlight as the war's foremost MiG destroyer, propelling him to "Ace" status. And he was just getting started…
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