Joseph C. McConnell

Joseph Christopher McConnell, Jr. was the first triple jet ace in history and is still the top-scoring American jet ace. A native of New Hampshire, Captain McConnell shot down 16 MiG-15s during the Korean War while flying F-86 Sabrejets for the U.S. Air Force.

McConnell was a B-24 navigator during World War II. He remained in the Air Force and became a pilot in 1948. He was assigned to the 39th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron of the 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing in Korea in late 1952. Flying a Sabre named Beauteous Butch (after the nickname of his wife), McConnell scored all of his kills from January to June 1953. He shot down 3 MiGs on his last day in combat.

After returning to the US, McConnell continued flying Sabres at George Air Force Base and lived in Apple Valley, California. On August 25 1954, while testing an F-86H at Edwards Air Force Base he was killed in a crash following a control malfunction.