 On 28 August 1972 , Captain Steve Ritchie became the first USAF ace of the war . On 9 September 1972 , WSO Capt Charles B. DeBellevue became the highest @-@ scoring American ace of the war with six victories. and WSO Capt Jeffrey Feinstein became the last USAF ace of the war on 13 October 1972 . Upon return to the United States , DeBellevue and Feinstein were assigned to undergraduate pilot training ( Feinstein was given a vision waiver ) and requalified as USAF pilots in the F @-@ 4 . USAF F @-@ 4C / D / E crews scored 107 ½ MiG kills in Southeast Asia ( 50 by Sparrow , 31 by Sidewinder , five by Falcon , 15 @.@ 5 by gun , and six by other means ) . 
