Salute!
Steve had an ego, but was a very good pilot with good judgement. His classmate and mine almost beat him to being an ace, but got fixated on a Mig and another nailed him despite calls to him ( including Steve, on that mission). Poor judgement that day. Steve also knew the Sparrow inside and out, and fired within good range/maneuver envelopes. Last talked with him a few years back at our 55th reunion. Go look up Teaball and Combat Tree.
I went thru "pilot indoctrination training" with Steve the year before we graduated. He was good then. Both of us had "hands". A year later we went thru pilot training and excelled, then to fighters. After all, we had a dozen syllabus rides in the Tweet and knew all the procedures and such. I really didn't have to work hard until moving to the T-33, 102 and 101B.
Gums sends...