On May 20, 1951, 334th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron – 4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing pilot Capt. James Jabara achieved a milestone in aviation history. By downing his fifth North Korean MiG-15 of the Korean War behind the controls of an F-86 Saber jet, Jabara became the first jet-to-jet fighter ace in world history.
Jabara first enlisted as an Aviation Cadet in the U.S Army Air Forces in May of 1942 receiving his pilots wings and commission in the Army as a 2nd Lieutenant in October 1943. Jabara flew two combat tours in Europe in the P-51 Mustang earning 1.5 aerial victories during World War II while flying a total of 108 combat missions. During that war, Jabara also earned the Distinguished Service Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Air Medal with 24 Oak Leaf Clusters. Following World War II, Jabara served in Florida where he transitioned to jet aircraft flying the F-86. Jabara served stints in Okinawa and in Delaware before joining the 4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing in Korea in December 1950. He flew his first combat mission over Korea later that month.
Jabara earned his first aerial victory of the Korean War on April 3, 1951 shooting down a MiG-15 over northwestern North Korea in an area near the Yalu River and border with China popularly known to pilots as “MiG Alley.” Over the next two and a half weeks Jabara earned three more MiG-15 kills. This included one aerial victory on April 12 during one of the largest aerial battles of the Korean War when over 70 enemy MiG’s attacked a 48 aircraft B-29 bomber formation being protected by F-86’s and F-84 Thunderjets. By April 22, four months after entering combat in Korea, Jabara’s four MiG kills earned him the designation at the time as the leading American fighter pilot. Jabara’s squadron was rotated from combat duty but he remained in Korea temporarily assigned to another unit in order to give him the opportunity to achieve ace status.
On May 20th, the 4th FIW was flying a fighter sweep over Sinuju, North Korea when the 36 aircraft F-86 flight encountered a flight of 50 MiG-15’s. In order to achieve maximum combat speed and maneuverability the Sabre needed to jettison its auxiliary fuel tanks before engaging in combat. Upon sighting the MiGs, the flight leader gave the order to drop tanks but when Jabara attempted to do so only the left tank fell away as the right tank remained hung up. Disregarding standing orders to disengage when such a malfunction occurred and despite the Sabre’s impaired maneuvering capabilities, Jabara chose to engage anyway.
Jabara engaged a group of MiGs with a head on pass but failed to find a target. Turning, Jabara maneuvered in behind one of the MiGs in a tight turning duel and at 25,000 feet released a salvo of .50 caliber machine gun fire striking the enemy aircraft. The MiG burst into flames and began a fatal dive, the pilot bailing out a few seconds before the aircraft struck the ground. Jabara had earned the victory and with it became the first jet-to-jet fighter ace in world history.
Jabara was not done; however, as he reengaged with another flight of MiGs above him striking another enemy aircraft with machine gun fire. Jabara having found the target, the Mig-15 began to smoke and then break up. Jabara had earned his sixth aerial victory of the Korean War. Returning to base after the melee, the commander of the 4th FIW promptly pinned the Distinguished Service Cross onto Jabara’s flight suit and then proceeded to chew him out for ignoring orders and getting into combat with a hung drop tank. This combat tour was over; however, Jabara would again return to Korea in 1953 earning an additional nine aerial victories.
Jabara finished the Korean War as a triple ace with a total of 15 MiG kills having tallied the second highest tally of aerial victories of all U.S. pilots during the conflict. Capt. Joseph McConnell of the 51st FIW finished the war one victory ahead of Jabara with 16 total MiG kills. Jabara flew a total of 163 combat missions during his two tours in Korea earning in addition to the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal, and also the British Distinguished Service Cross.
Jabara remained in the Air Force after the Korean War serving in a variety of staff and command positions in the United States achieving the rank of colonel. Jabara was assigned for combat duty in Vietnam and was in the process of moving his family to South Carolina prior to leaving for his overseas tour when on November 17, 1966, he was killed in a car crash in Florida. Colonel James Jabara was laid to rest with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery.
