During the three years of the Korean War, nearly 100 men flying for either United Nations or Communist forces achieved ace status by shooting down five or more aircraft. The Soviet Union claimed at least fifty-two aces, led by Nikolai Sutyagin, an early “advisor” sent to help North Korea transition to the Soviet MiG-15 jet fighter, who flew missions against United Nations opponents for ten months beginning in April 1950, claimed 22 victories, and earned the title “Ace of Aces” of the Korean War. For the United States, 40 men became aces, with 39 doing so in the North American F-86 Sabre jet; the leading American was U.S. Air Force pilot Joseph McConnell, credited with 16 MiG-15 shoot-downs and awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star, and the Distinguished Flying Cross. Other American aces with double-digit victory totals included James Jabara with 15, Manuel “Pete” Fernandez with 14.5, George Dave with 14, Royal “King” Baker with 13, and six more men with 10 victories. Seven men from Communist China and two from North Korea were also recognized as aces, and aside from the United States, no other pilots from a United Nations country reached the five-victory mark. The air war over Korea was the final hurrah of the era of the ace, as later wars were fought at greater distances, reducing chances to confirm aerial victories.