Cesar Rodriguez

Colonel (Ret.) Cesar Antonio Rodriguez is a former United States Air Force (USAF) officer and pilot who served from 1981 to 2006. With three air-to-air combat victories, he joined USAF pilots Thomas Dietz, Robert Hehemann and Robert Wright as the closest to becoming a flying ace of any U.S. pilot since the Vietnam War; until April 13, 2024, when several USAF pilots attained ace status during an attack on Israel from Iran. Rodriguez scored his kills in an F-15 Eagle - the first two kills in 1991, during the first Gulf War, against a Mikoyan MiG-29 and a Mikoyan MiG-23 of the Iraqi Air Force, and his third kill came against a MiG-29 of the Yugoslav air force during the 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia. Later while flying back to his base, Rodriguez was repeatedly locked on by patrolling friendly Royal Saudi Air Force F-15s. After several warnings, Rodriguez threatened to shoot the aircraft down if they locked onto him one more time.

His second kill came as he was flying in formation with three other pilots, Captain Rory Draeger with his wingman Captain Tony "Kimo" Schiavi, and Rodriguez with his wingman Captain Bruce Till. An AWACS picked up four Iraqi MiG-23s taking off from the airfield designated H2. The four F-15s turned ninety degrees, and spread out over a space of ten miles to maximize their radar and missile coverage. One of the four MiGs bugged out with mechanical problems. Draeger assigned the targets, taking the lead MiG, while Schiavi took the northern one, and Rodriguez was assigned the southern MiG. The three of them locked up the MiGs and all fired AIM-7s. All three MiGs were destroyed within seconds of each other to for a "textbook" beyond visual range fight. The moment of the missiles impact in the MiG-23 was caught in the cockpit camera of that MiG, which was later recovered by a special forces team. while the second flown by Yugoslav pilot Major Ilijo Arizanov was engaged and shot down by an F-15 Eagle piloted by Rodriguez. The MiG-29s of the Yugoslav air force were suffering severe problems with their systems. Arizanov was having trouble getting his radar working when he was shot down by Rodriguez. This would be Rodriguez's final kill, making him the leading MiG-killer since the Vietnam War and tying him with three other USAF pilots for the most aerial victories since the Vietnam War.

After his combat service, Rodriguez continued to serve with the U.S. Air Force until November 30, 2006, when he retired with the rank of colonel.

Awards and decorations

Personal life Rodriguez currently resides in Tucson, Arizona and works for Raytheon Missile Systems. In addition to serving on the board of the American Latino Veterans Association and a member of the Military Officers Association of America.

Aerial victory credits