▁with ▁the ▁project ▁after ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁test ▁aircraft ▁was ▁lost ▁in ▁combat ▁on ▁January ▁ 2 5 ▁because ▁its ▁engine ▁experienced ▁compress or ▁st all ▁from ▁ing est ing ▁the ▁can n ons ' ▁prop ell ent ▁g ases . ▁He ▁regularly ▁fle w ▁Gun Val ▁Sab res ▁on ▁miss ions ▁before ▁the ▁testing ▁ended ▁on ▁May ▁ 1 , ▁and ▁despite ▁firing ▁limitations ▁im posed ▁by ▁the ▁st all ▁risk , ▁scored ▁a ▁Mi G ▁victory ▁in ▁a ▁can non - equ ipped ▁F - 8 6 F , ▁near ▁S ui - ho ▁Res er voir ▁on ▁March ▁ 2 6 . ▁ ▁His ▁first ▁victory ▁came ▁on ▁February ▁ 2 1 , ▁ 1 9 5 3 , ▁during ▁his ▁ 1 8 th ▁mission ▁as ▁ 3 3 5 th ▁F IS ▁commander . ▁Eng aging ▁a ▁pair ▁of ▁Mi G s ▁in ▁a ▁" dog f ight ", ▁G arrison ▁was ▁nearly ▁shot ▁down ▁as ▁he ▁became ▁too ▁focused ▁on ▁his ▁quar ry ▁and ▁failed ▁to ▁detect ▁a ▁Mi G ▁closing ▁in ▁from ▁behind , ▁then ▁became ▁locked ▁into ▁a ▁L uf ber y ▁circle . ▁When ▁the ▁Mi G s ▁broke ▁the ▁circle ▁and ▁tried ▁to ▁escape , ▁both ▁he ▁and ▁his ▁wing men ▁destroyed ▁one . ▁With ▁just ▁two ▁Mi G ▁cred its ▁in ▁his ▁first ▁six ▁months ▁of ▁his ▁tour , ▁G arrison ' s ▁t ally ▁increased ▁dram atically ▁in ▁the ▁final ▁three ▁months ▁of ▁combat ▁before ▁the ▁Korean ▁arm ist ice .