Fred Ohr

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]

Fred Ohr
Captain Fred Ohr in 1943
Born(1919-07-15)July 15, 1919
Boise Basin, Idaho, United States
DiedSeptember 6, 2015(2015-09-06) (aged 96)
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Army Air Corps
Years of service1938–1944[1]
RankMajor[1][2]
Unit116th Cavalry Regiment[1]
Commands held2d Fighter Squadron[3]
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsSilver Star (2)
Distinguished Flying Cross (2)
Bronze Star Medal
Air Medal (19)
Other workDentist

Ohr was born on July 15, 1919, in Oregon[4] to Korean immigrants Wanda and Wan Ju, and grew up on a farm in the Boise, Idaho, basin.[5][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 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] He practiced dentistry until his retirement in 2005.

References
  1. Margaret Downing (10 November 2011). "Veterans Day: Korean-American defied the odds to become ace fighter pilot". Stateline News. Archived from the original on 19 January 2013. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  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. "World War II American Fighter Aces at Museum". The Museum of Flight. 1 July 2009. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  4. Ohr, Fred F.; Dumar, Ali; Morgen Koelker; Kyle Miesbauer, Fred F. Ohr Collection, Vicki DeWitt, Illinois WWII Memorial Board Classroom Project, retrieved 2020-03-23
  5. "Aikens Airplanes". Archived from the original on 15 August 2013. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
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