Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Second World War D.F.C. and Korea group of ten awarded to Captain D. A. Ruiter, Cheetah Squadron, South African Air Force, killed in action in Korea
Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse officially dated ‘1944’; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, clasp, North Africa 1942-43; Italy Star; War Medal; Africa Service Medal; South African Korea Medal (Capt. D. A. Ruiter); U.N. Korea, named as before; U.S.A., Air Medal; South Korea, Korea Medal, the WWII medals unnamed or erased replacements for those lost in Korea, nearly extremely fine and rare (10)

Captain D. A. Ruiter flew with No. 2 (Cheetah) Squadron in the Middle East during the Second World War and was awarded the D.F.C. He accompanied the squadron to Korea as one of the original contingent of 49 officers and 157 men, leaving Durban on 27 September, 1950. They arrived at Yokahoma on 5 November, from where they were transferred to Johnson Air Base near Tokyo where, for the next 10 days, the squadron was kept busy converting to the F-51 Mustangs which they were to fly in Korea.
The squadron primarily flew interdiction missions, but the Cheetah pilots were often diverted, sometimes in mid-flight, to lend close support to the U.N. forces as the struggle on the ground see-sawed continuously. On 1 March, 1951, the squadron flew a record 32 sorties in support of a general U.N. offensive which had steadily gained momentum during February. Seven vehicles, one village, two tanks and an unknown number of troops were destroyed, but unfortunately Captain W. J. J. Badenhorst and Captain D. A. Ruiter were both shot down and killed. During the course of the Korean War Cheetah Squadron lost 34 pilots, killed or missing.