Charles B. DeBellevue

Charles B. DeBellevue
Colonel Charles B. "Chuck" DeBellevue
Birth name	Charles Barbin DeBellevue
Nickname(s)	Chuck
Born	(1945-08-15) August 15, 1945 (age 71) New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Air Force
Years of service	1968–1998
Rank	Colonel
Battles/wars	Vietnam War
Awards	Air Force Cross Silver Star (2) Legion of Merit (2) Distinguished Flying Cross (5) Meritorious Service Medal Air Medal Mackay Trophy Veterans of Foreign Wars Armed Forces Award Eugene M. Zuckert Achievement Award

Colonel Charles Barbin “Chuck” DeBellevue (born August 15, 1945) is a retired officer in the United States Air Force. In 1972, DeBellevue became one of only five Americans to achieve flying ace status within the Vietnam War and the first Air Force weapon systems officer (WSO) to earn ace status. He was credited with a total of six MiG kills, the most earned by any U.S. aviator during the Vietnam War and is a recipient of the Air Force Cross.

DeBellevue was born in New Orleans on August 15, 1945, and grew up in Louisiana. After applying unsuccessfully to the United States Air Force Academy, he attended and graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (then named the University of Southwestern Louisiana), in 1968. Upon graduation, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) program at the university. Accepted into Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT), he failed to complete the course, but subsequently applied for and was accepted into Undergraduate Navigator Training (UNT) at Mather Air Force Base, California in July 1969. He completed F-4 combat crew training at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona and was assigned to the 335th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina, as a McDonnell Douglas F-4D weapon systems officer (WSO).