Fred Ohr

Fred Ohr
Captain Fred Ohr in 1943
Born (1919-07-15)July 15, 1919
Boise Basin, Idaho, United States
Died September 6, 2015(2015-09-06) (aged 96)
Allegiance United States
Service/branch United States Army Air Corps
Years of service 1938–1944[1]
Rank Major[1][2]
Unit 116th Cavalry Regiment[1]
Commands held 2d Fighter Squadron[3]
Battles/wars

World War II

Awards Silver Star (2)
Distinguished Flying Cross (2)
Bronze Star Medal
Air Medal (19)
Other work Dentist

Fred F. Ohr (July 15, 1919 – September 6, 2015) was an American World War II flying ace, credited with the destruction of six aircraft in the air and 17 on the ground.[3]

Ohr was born on July 15, 1919 in Idaho to Korean immigrants Wanda and Wan Ju, and grew up on a farm in the Boise, Idaho basin.[4][1] Out of high school he joined the military in 1938 but was not on the path to becoming a pilot until inadvertently participating in a pilot examination in 1940.[1]

In the fall 1942 he deployed with the 68th Material Service Squadron to Britain.[1] He served as a ground crew member in Tunisia, seeing action as his airbase was overrun.[1] Afterwards, Ohr flew until November 1944 with the 2nd Fighter Squadron, 52nd Fighter Group, ending his tour as the squadron's commanding officer.[2] He received numerous decorations including the Silver Star with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Distinguished Flying Cross with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Bronze Star Medal and the Air Medal with 18 Oak Leaf Clusters. He received a citation for his escort action during Operation Tidal Wave in 1943, when he and his unit intercepted three enemy fighters preparing to attack Allied bombers over a target area.[1] He shot down one aircraft during the mission.[1]

After the war, Ohr became a dental surgeon in Chicago.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Margaret Downing (10 November 2011). "Veterans Day: Korean-American defied the odds to become ace fighter pilot". Stateline News. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  2. 1 2 Bledsoe, Larry W. (2008). "Fighter Pilots Lived Their Dreams". Airport Journal. Hansen Airport Journals LLC. Archived from the original on June 27, 2012. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "World War II American Fighter Aces at Museum". The Museum of Flight. 1 July 2009. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  4. ↑ "Aikens Airplanes". Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  • Stateline Spotlight: WWII Veteran Shares War Tales, profile of Fred Ohr on WIFR.com, Nov 19, 2013
  • Ali Dumar (24 June 2013). "Fred F. Ohr Collection". Veterans History Project. Library of Congress.
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