Steve Bettinger was born on April 28, 1924, in Newark, New Jersey. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve on June 27, 1942, and entered the Aviation Cadet Program of the U.S. Army Air Forces on January 7, 1943, receiving his commission as a 2d Lt and his pilot wings at Spence Field, Georgia, on November 3, 1943. After completing P-47 Thunderbolt training, Lt Bettinger served as a P-47 pilot with the 66th Fighter Squadron of the 57th Fighter Group in Italy from March to September 1944, during which time he was credited with the destruction of 1 enemy aircraft in aerial combat. After returning to the U.S., he completed flight instructor training and then served as an instructor pilot at Waterboro Army Airfield, South Carolina, from January to October 1945, and then at Selfridge Army Airfield, Michigan, from October 1945 to March 1946. His next assignment was as a staff officer with the 368th Fighter Group and the 70th Fighter Wing in Germany from June 1946 to May 1947, followed by service as a P-51 Mustang pilot with the 82nd Fighter Group at Grenier Army Airfield, New Hampshire, from June to September 1947. Capt Bettinger then served as a P-51, F-84 Thunderjet, and later as an F-86 Sabre pilot with the 58th Fighter Squadron of the 33rd Fighter Group at Walker AFB, New Mexico, and later at Otis AFB, Massachusetts, from September 1947 to May 1950. After attending the Armament Officer Course at Lowry AFB, Colorado, Maj Bettinger served as an F-86 pilot and as Armament Officer for the 33rd Fighter-Interceptor Group at Otis AFB from December 1950 to February 1952. His next assignment was as Assistant Operations and Training Staff Officer and then Manpower Management Officer with the 4707th Defense Wing at Otis AFB from February to September 1952, followed by service as an F-86 pilot and Operations Officer for the 4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing at Kimpo AB, South Korea, from September 1952 until he was shot down and taken as a Prisoner of War on July 20, 1953. Maj Bettinger was released from captivity on August 31, 1953. During his combat tour in Korea, he was credited with the destruction of 5 enemy aircraft in aerial combat plus one probable and 2 damaged, for a two-war total of 6 aerial victories. He was briefly hospitalized to recover from his injuries, and then served as an F-86 pilot and as Director of Operations for the 479th Fighter-Bomber Wing at George AFB, California, from January to September 1954. Maj Bettinger served as Operations Officer, and briefly as Commander, of the 435th Fighter-Day Squadron at George AFB from September to November 1954, and then as Commander of the 21st Fighter-Day Squadron at George from November 1954 to September 1958. Col Bettinger served as an Operations Staff Officer with the 49th Tactical Fighter Wing at Etain AB, France, from September to November 1958, and then as an F-100 Super Sabre pilot and Commander of the 8th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Etain AB and then at Spangdahlem AB, West Germany, from November 1958 to September 1960. His next assignment was as Deputy Inspector General for Readiness Inspections with Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe at Lindsey AS, West Germany, from September 1960 to August 1962, followed by service as Chief of the Tactical Air Command Systems Office for the development of the F-111 fighter-bomber with the 4500th Support Squadron at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, from August 1962 to June 1968. Col Bettinger served as the Chief of the Field Training Exercises Branch with NATO at Brunssum, the Netherlands, from June 1968 to July 1972, and then served as Special Assistant to the Commander of the 25th Air Division at McChord AFB, Washington, from July 1972 until his retirement from the Air Force on February 1, 1973. Steve Bettinger died on December 4, 2010, and was buried at the Sunset Hills Memorial Park in Bellevue, Washington.