Former military aviators remember NH’s flying Aces with ties to the Seacoast

SEACOAST — May 8, 2025 is VE (Victory in Europe) Day. It marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. June 25, 2025, marks the 75th anniversary of the day the Korean War began.

Granite State Flight #53, Order of Daedalians, a group of former and current military aviators in New Hampshire and Maine, remembered NH’s flying Aces recently. Five of the aces have ties to Seacoast-area communities. To be an Ace, a pilot must shoot down at least five enemy aircraft.

New Hampshire’s highest Ace in the Korean War, and the top American Ace overall in Korea, was Captain Joseph C. McConnell, Jr. of Dover.

He also was the first triple jet Ace with 16 aircraft kills. He is America’s highest jet ace.

Of air combat, Captain McConnell is quoted as saying “It’s the teamwork out here that counts. The lone wolf stuff is out.”

After Korea, he was assigned to flight testing and died after reportedly experiencing flight control problems in an aircraft. He was 32.

Lieutenant Colonel Norman J. “Bud” Fortier, USAF (Ret), who taught in Dover and Epsom public schools after WWII, had 5.83 aerial victories over Europe.

In 1949, he flew 38 cargo missions during the Berlin Airlift. He died in 2005 and is buried in Raymond C. Wilson Memorial Garden in Gilford.

He authored An Ace of the Eighth: An American Fighter Pilot’s Air War in Europe.

Brig. Gen. Harrison R. Thyng, USAF (Ret) of Laconia is buried in Riverview Cemetery in Barnstead. He fought in both wars. He is only one of six men who became Aces in both conventional and jet aircraft and is one of only seven Americans to become an Ace in two wars. He had 15 kills.

New Hampshire’s last World War II Ace with local ties was Captain Frederick O. Trafton, Jr. of New Durham. He had five aerial kills.

After the war, Captain Trafton joined the Army and served in Vietnam. He is buried at Arlington.