Ronald E. McKeown

Naval Aviator: "World's Greatest Fighter Pilot"

MEDALS-RIBBONS: Navy Cross, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross w/4 Gold Stars, Air Medal w/4 Gold Stars & 23 Strike Awards, Navy Commendation w/Combat V and 2 Stars, Presidential Unit Citation, Unit Commendation w/Star, Meritorious Unit w/Star, Navy "E", Navy Expeditionary, National Defense, Armed Forces Expeditionary w/Star, Vietnam Service w/8 Stars, Sea Service Deployment w/2 Stars, Vietnam Armed Forces Honor-First Class, Vietnam Gallantry Cross w/Gold Star, Vietnam Navy Distinguished Service Order, Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation w/Palm, Vietnam Campaign

Captain Mckcown served as a Test Pilot, CO of NFWS (TOPGUN), CO of VF-1, 4 Vietnam Tours, 440 combat missions with VF-154 and VT-161 and 2 MC-17 kills.

Tactics Manager he was charged with developing Navy tacti
cal doctrine for the F4 Phantom and had the opportunity to fly 
the Soviet built MIG-17 and MIG 21 aircraft.
 In 1969, he was assigned to Fighter Squadron 161 as 
Operations Officer. In early 1972, with only 48 hours notice 
he embarked aboard USS Midwav for his fourth combat 
deployment to Southeast Asia. On May 23rd, while leading 
a section of F4s on a Combat Air Patrol North of Hanoi near 
the enemy airbase at Kep,  McKeown and his RIO, LT Jack 
Ensch, along with their wingmen were attacked by six North 
Vietnamese MIG aircraft. In what has been described as one 
of the longest and most exciting dogfights of the war, fight
ing often at tree-level height, McKeown and Ensch actually 
tumbled their F4 end-over-end during the engagement. When 
it was over McKeown had shot down two MIG-17s, includ
ing one off his wingmen’s tail and then chasing the remaining 
enemy aircraft into China. For this action, McKeown and 
Ensch were awarded the Navy Cross.
 Ronald E. McKeown, Captain USN (Ret.)
 “Mugs”
 Captain McKeown is a Native of Ysleta, Texas where he 
was an outstanding student and athlete. Upon graduation, 
he was selected as an undergraduate at Harvard, Princeton, 
and Dartmouth, He opted. instead, to attend the United 
States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland. While at 
the Academy, he excelled in football and boxing. Playing 
alongside Heisman Trophy winner, Joe Bellino, he was “The 
other running back,” on the 1960 Navy team that played in 
the Orange Bowl, beat Army, Air Force, Notre Dame, and the 
then number one ranked team in the country, the University 
of Washington. The 1960 Midshipmen were ranked #3 in the 
nation. McKeown also was the recipient the “Spike Webb 
Award,” emblematic of the outstanding boxer in the Naval 
Academy; where he was the undefeated light-heavyweight 
Champion of the Brigade of Midshipmen for three consecu
tive years.
 Following graduation from the Academy, Ensign McKeown 
attended Navy Flight Training and received his wings as a 
Naval Aviator in November of 1962. He was then assigned to 
Fighter Squadron 154 flying F8U Crusaders. He participated 
in the first raids against North Vietnam in 1964.  Prior to his 
second cruise to Southeast Asia, the squadron transitioned to 
the F4B Phantom.  During that cruise McKeown was selected 
to attend the U.S. Air Force Aerospace Research Pilot School 
for test pilot and astronaut training. While there, he flew a 
specially modified F104 to an attitude of 127,000 feet. He 
then reported to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron FOUR. In 
his role as Chief Test Pilot, he was in charge of all engineer
ing changes to the SPARROW air-to-air missile. As the F4 
Following this action. Lieutenant Commander McKeown 
received orders to become the first Commanding Officer of 
TOPGUN, the Navy Fighter Weapons School. Thirteen days 
after McKeown departed Midway, his friend and companion 
was shot down and taken prisoner. During Jack’s incarceration 
McKeown steadfastly refused to accept the Navy Cross, stat
ing that he and Jack had won them together and would wear 
them the first time together. After his repatriation, McKeown 
was also able to work the Navy personnel system and have 
Jack assigned to TOPGUN as an instructor where they would, 
once again, fly together. McKeown would serve as TOPGUN 
Commanding Officer for three years. During that period he 
set the foundation to make TOPGUN the premiere Air-to-Air 
tactics training school in the world. The squadron lost all of 
its aircraft to the Israelis in 1973 during the Yom Kippur war.  
In spite of post Vietnam budgetary constraints, McKeown 
was able to replace the original 8 A4Ms with 10 new A4Ms. 
as well as 10 T38s and then procure 12 brand new F5Es.
 After a brief tour in the Pentagon, McKeown assumed 
command of Fighter Squadron ONE and as fate would 
have it, Lieutenant Commander Ensch reported aboard as 
the Maintenance Officer. The “Dynamic Duo” was back 
and ready for Prime Time!  From Fighter Squadron ONE, 
McKeown went on to become the F14 Tomcat Project 
Officer.  He then went on to be Chief of Staff for Operations, 
Commander Carrier Group Eight.  During his tenure in 
COMCARGRU staff working for RADM Jim Service and 
RADM Jerry Tuttle, the battlegroup developed electronic 
warfare tactics and procedures that bore fruit in the Gulf of 
Sidra, Desert Shield, Desert Storm, and Iraqi Freedom. His 
final tour was as Chief of Staff and Executive Assistant to the 
Chief of Naval Material.
 Captain McKeown’s personal awards include the Navy 
Cross, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross (5), Air 
Medal (27), Navy Achievement Medal (14). He flew 440 
combat missions in Southeast Asia and amassed 997 carrier 
landings