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Ret. U.S. Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Frederick “Fritz” Payne, 104, of Palm Desert — the country’s oldest living American Fighter Ace — died Thursday.

Payne, who celebrated his birthday on July 31, recently received the Congressional Gold Medal for his service — Congress’ highest civilian award — during a Memorial Day ceremony at the Palm Springs Air Museum in May. Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Palm Springs, presented the medal to Payne.

“Fritz Payne was the epitome of the Greatest Generation,” said Fred Bell, the air museum’s managing director. “While it is hard to imagine today, these American heroes stood up to aggression at a time when failure meant the end of our way of life at one of the darkest moments in our history. I can only hope that we learn from their example when we are called upon to sacrifice for our freedoms. God bless him and his family.”

The title of American Fighter Ace is reserved for pilots who have shot down at least five enemy aircraft in aerial combat during World War I, World War II, Korea and Vietnam.

via Fritz Payne, 104-year-old Fighter Ace, dies.

The bedroom communities of the Coachella Valley are a popular retirement spot for quite a few Naval Aviators.