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Washington pilots among 'fighter aces' being honored

Published  May 20, 2015 6:56am PDT
Associated Press

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — Several Washington state veterans are among an elite group of American fighter pilots being presented the Congressional Gold Medal.

The News Tribune reports says 90-year-old Clarence Borley, of Olympia, and 72-year-old Steve Ritchie, of Bellevue, were headed to Wednesday's ceremony in Washington, D.C. Congress is presenting the American Fighter Aces with its highest recognition.

They're among 77 living fighter pilots credited with shooting down five or more enemy fighters in aerial combat.

Borley is a retired Navy commander. Ritchie is a retired Air Force brigadier general.

Six pilots were living in Washington when Congress took up the bill, including Capt. Clayton Kelly Gross of Vancouver, Col. Arthur Jeffrey of Yakima, Capt. Joe McGraw of Burlington and Lt. Mike Wolf of Hansville. Jeffrey died in April.