MiG winner: US Air Force Academy pays tribute to B-52 gunner

18-year-old Albert Moore was not a US Air Force pilot, but he has the honor of being the last American to of the Vietnam War was shot down by an enemy MiG-21 with a tail machine gun.

A ceremony was held this month at the US Air Force Academy in Colorado to honor Air Gunner 1st Class Albert Moore — the last American to shoot down an enemy fighter jet as the tail gunner of a B-52. 52 Albert Moore.

• In 1972, on Christmas Eve, Moore, then just 18 years old, shot down a MiG-21 with the tail machine gun of the “Diamond Lil” aircraft during Operation Linebacker II.
• This historic achievement was one of only two confirmed MiG hits by a B-52 gunner. The Air Force Association erected a plaque in his honor, celebrating the bravery and legacy of Moore and his comrades — B-52 tail gunners.

Honoring the hero of Vietnam: in memory of the last B-52 gunner to shoot down a MiG

Earlier this month, the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, honored Air Gunner 1st Class Albert Moore, who during the war in Vietnam was shot down by an enemy MiG fighter. Moore was not a pilot, but he has the honor of being the last American to shoot down an enemy fighter as the tail gunner in a Boeing B-52D Stratofortress.

The Air Force Air Gunners Association (AFGA) has unveiled a plaque honoring Moore, who was just 18 years old when he took part in a sortie on Christmas Eve 1972 as part of the USAF's Operation Linebacker II.

“Moore operated the tail gun of the Diamond Lil bomber (No. 55-083), which is now on display at the North Gate of the United States Air Force Academy,” the Academy announced after unveiling a plaque honoring the tail gunner's outstanding achievement.

The famous flight of the B-52 bomber as part of Operation Linebacker II

Although this particular B-52 flew more than 15 thousand hours and took part in more than 200 sorties between 1957 and 1983, just before Christmas Moore successfully shot down a MiG-21 supersonic interceptor (according to the NATO classification — Fishbed).

During the sortie, Diamond Lil was part of a strike group of 30 B-52 bombers, and Moore's plane was tasked with bombing railroad yards in the vicinity of Hanoi, the capital of North Vietnam.

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“When the enemy MiG-21 aircraft began to maneuver into a strike position, Moore successfully defended his aircraft by shooting down a MiG-21. This was one of only two confirmed MiG kills by a B-52D Stratofortress during the Vietnam War, and the last confirmed wartime gunner kill.” — explained at the Air Force Academy.

In his combat report, Moore described this moment: “I spotted the target in the radar sight at 8 o'clock. It stabilized at a distance of 3,650 meters. I executed an evasive maneuver and when the target came within 1,800 meters I opened fire.” The agency added: “The fact of the downing was confirmed by another tail gunner who visually observed how the MiG caught fire and began to fall.”

This was the last time an American bomber managed to shoot down an enemy fighter with its guns.

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2:0 in favor of B-52 tail gunners

Just a week earlier, on December 18, during another Linebacker II sortie, Staff Sergeant Samuel Turner shot down another MiG-21, becoming the first B-52 Stratofortress tail gunner to be “credited with an enemy aircraft shot down.”

For their actions, Master Sergeant Turner and Gunner 1st Class Moore were awarded the Silver Star — the third most important award of the armed forces of the United States for heroism. A plaque honoring Turner was installed at the Air Force Command School at Ellsworth Air Force Base in 2021, and Moore was honored at the Air Force Academy this month.

“The unveiling of this plaque — is an important moment for the Air Force Air Gunners Association. It symbolizes their enduring legacy and commemorates the bravery and skill of Gunner 1st Class Albert Moore in particular,” said John Stallings, AFGA President and former Tail Gunner B- 52. “In honor of Moore, we recognize the significant contribution of the B-52 gunners in the history of air combat. This memorial plaque is not just a tribute to history, but a beacon of valor and dedication.” author

Peter Suchiu — journalist from Michigan. During his twenty-year journalistic career, he participated in the work of more than four dozen magazines, newspapers and websites, publishing more than 3,200 materials. He writes regularly on military technology, firearms history, cyber security, politics and international affairs. Peter has also contributed articles to Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. Email the author at: Editor@nationalinterest.org.