[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 74 (Thursday, May 14, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2930-S2931]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     CONGRATULATING LIEUTENANT GENERAL CHARLES ``CHICK'' CLEVELAND

  Mr. SESSIONS. Madam President, today I wish to congratulate Lt. Gen. 
Charles ``Chick'' Cleveland of Montgomery, AL, for receiving the 
Congressional Gold Medal as one of the American Fighter Aces.
  Lt. Gen. ``Chick'' Cleveland's distinguished Air Force career spanned 
nearly four decades, and more than 4,300 flight hours. His military 
decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal (Air 
Force), Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf 
cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Medal 
with three oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal, Army 
Commendation Medal and Republic of Korea Order of Military Merit, Chung 
Mu.
  Less than 3 years after graduating from the U.S. Military Academy at 
West Point, and within months of joining the 334th Fighter-Interceptor 
Squadron at Kimpo Air Base, South Korea, he scored four confirmed MiG-
15 kills. On September 21, 1952, Lieutenant Cleveland's squadron fought 
another flight of MiGs. Cleveland engaged one of the enemy aircraft and 
fired, scoring hits in the tail pipe, engine, and right wing. Within 
seconds, there was an explosion, and the MiG fell out of the sky. 
However, instead of watching the MiG to claim credit for the kill, 
Lieutenant Cleveland broke off the engagement to assist his squadron. 
He left Korea with those four confirmed kills--one confirmed victory 
short of becoming an ace.
  After the war, he was stationed with the 27th Fighter-Bomber Wing at 
Bergstrom Air Force Base in Texas, where he led the transition team to 
the Air Force's new aircraft, the F-101 Voodoo. On August 10, 1962, 
Cleveland became the first pilot to achieve the 1000-flighthour mark in 
the Voodoo.
  Lieutenant General Cleveland also served with distinction in Vietnam 
as the executive assistant to Gen. William Westmoreland, commander, 
Military Assistance Command, Vietnam.
  In 2008, 55 years after his aerial victories in Korea, he finally 
gained official recognition by the U.S. Air Force

[[Page S2931]]

as a fighter ace. With the de-classification of Soviet records in 2003, 
his friend and fellow Korean war ace, Dolph Overton discovered the 
Soviets' account of the events on September 21, 1952. With those 
records, as well as the testimonies of Cleveland's wingman that day, 
Don Pascoe, and his former operations officer, Frederick ``Boots'' 
Blesse, the Air Force awarded Lieutenant General Cleveland credit for 
one of his two probable victories in Korea and officially recognized 
him as an Air Force Ace.
  Lieutenant General Cleveland retired from the Air Force in 1984 and 
settled in Montgomery, AL, close to where he once had command of the 
Air University at Maxwell Air Force Base. He continues to involve 
himself in his community. I am proud to call Lieutenant General Charles 
``Chick'' Cleveland a fellow Alabamian and to acknowledge and celebrate 
his receipt of the Congressional Gold Medal.

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