Political Quotes

“I stand before you, along with my colleague, Representative Keith Self of the Texas Third Congressional District, to honor Colonel Chuck DeBellevue, United States Air Force retired, an American patriot whose extraordinary courage, leadership, and lifetime of service reflect the highest ideals of our Nation and the United States Air Force. On September 9, 1972, then-Captain DeBellevue and his F-4 Phantom II crewmate, Captain John Madden, shot down two north Vietnamese MiG-19s. These victories marked DeBellevue's fifth and sixth aerial kills, making him the highest scoring American ace of the Vietnam war. Over the course of his career, Colonel DeBellevue flew 220 combat missions, including 96 over North Vietnam. He is credited with the destruction of six North Vietnamese jet fighters in aerial combat, making him America's leading ace of that conflict and the last American ace to serve on Active Duty. His actions in combat remain among the most distinguished examples of aerial valor in the United States military history.”