Fred Ohr Explained

Fred Ohr
Birth Date:15 July 1919
Birth Place:Boise Basin, Idaho, United States
Allegiance:United States
Branch:United States Army Air Corps
Serviceyears:1938–1944
Rank:Major
Unit:116th Cavalry Regiment
Commands:2d Fighter Squadron[1]
Battles:World War II
Awards:Silver Star (2)
Distinguished Flying Cross (2)
Bronze Star Medal
Air Medal (19)
Laterwork: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.

Ohr was born on July 15, 1919, in Oregon to Korean immigrants Wanda and Wan Ju, and grew up on a farm in the Boise, Idaho, basin.[2] [3] 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.

In fall 1942 he deployed with the 68th Material Service Squadron to Britain. He served as a ground crew member in Tunisia, seeing action as his airbase was overrun. Afterwards, Ohr flew until November 1944 with the 2nd Fighter Squadron, 52nd Fighter Group, ending his tour as the squadron's commanding officer.[4] 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. He shot down one aircraft during the mission.

After the war, Ohr became a dental surgeon in Chicago. He practiced dentistry until his retirement in 2005.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: World War II American Fighter Aces at Museum . 1 July 2009 . . 8 March 2012.
  2. Web site: Aikens Airplanes . https://archive.today/20130815060841/http://www.aikensairplanes.com/usaf-fred-ohrs-marie-p-51d-mustang/ . dead . 15 August 2013 . 15 August 2013 .
  3. News: Veterans Day: Korean-American defied the odds to become ace fighter pilot . Margaret Downing . https://archive.today/20130119142555/http://www.communityshoppers.com/headlines/veterans-day-korean-american-defied-the-odds-to-become-ace-fighter-pilot.html . dead . 19 January 2013 . . 10 November 2011 . 8 March 2012 .
  4. Bledsoe . Larry W. . 2008 . Fighter Pilots Lived Their Dreams . Airport Journal . Hansen Airport Journals LLC . 8 March 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120627035621/http://airportjournals.com/Display.cfm?varID=0811025 . June 27, 2012 .