Biography Charles J. Loring Jr.

1 biography

1.1 life
1.2 military service

1.2.1 world war ii

1.2.1.1 pow


1.2.2 korean war

biography
early life

charles loring jr. born on october 2, 1918 in portland, maine charles j. loring sr. , irene cronin loring. lived in town throughout life, attending cheverus high school, , graduating in 1937.

military service
world war ii

after united states entry world war ii, loring enlisted in u.s. army @ portland, @ age 23.in march 1942, , private joined army air corps. may 1942, had been selected aviation cadet @ usaac pre-flight school @ maxwell air force base in montgomery, alabama. there, loring completed primary, basic , advanced flight training courses. after graduating, loring commissioned second lieutenant in army reserve pilot rating.

in december 1942, loring assigned 22nd fighter squadron, 36th fighter group, ninth air force @ losey army airfield in juana díaz, puerto rico. unit flew anti-submarine patrols part of force defending panama canal , caribbean sea areas. during time, loring flew p-39 airacobra , p-40 warhawk fighter , ground attack aircraft. after stint of duty, 36th fighter group returned united states charleston army airfield in charleston, south carolina. there, loring , other pilots of unit trained p-47 thunderbolt aircraft. briefly moved scribner, nebraska part of flight training.

a group of p-47 thunderbolts of 22nd fighter squadron @ le culot, belgium in late 1944, evidenced modified fuselage invasion stripes (removed fuselage & wing upper surfaces). loring flying aircraft 44-19864 (left) when shot down on belgium , made prisoner of war.

in april 1944, loring , group moved england fly missions against nazi german targets. 36th fighter group flew out of raf kingsnorth in kent, england flying reconnaissance, fighter escort , interdiction missions. missions involved striking military strongpoints in northern europe in preparation operation overlord. following success of overlord, loring continued fly air support missions remainder of conflict. december, had flown 55 combat missions. had been awarded distinguished flying cross actions under fire on june 12, 1944 destroyed ten enemy armored vehicles in area of coutances, france while on dive-bombing mission.

pow

on december 24, 1944, loring flying mission on belgium when p-47 hit flak artillery strafed ground targets. loring subsequently captured , spent 6 months german prisoner of war. loring liberated on may 5, 1945, 3 days before end of war on may 8, 1945 (v-e day).

after world war ii, loring remained in u.s. army air corps. promoted captain, served in number of administrative roles in post-war air corps, became united states air force in 1947.

korean war

by outbreak of korean war in june 1950, loring attached air university , not sent korea combat duty. on february 3, 1952, loring reassigned 2353rd personnel processing squadron @ camp stoneman in pittsburg, california. unit moved south korea, assigned 8th fighter-bomber wing, fifth air force, assignment of supervising training replacement pilots before moved combat units. during time flew 36th fighter-bomber squadron , 80th fighter-bomber squadron, while assisting new pilots.

in july 1952, loring transferred 36th fighter-bomber squadron full-time, served operations officer. in role returned combat duty, time jet aircraft fighter pilot operating f-80 shooting star. missions unit concerned close air support, air strikes , interdiction missions supporting united nations command ground troops in country. in role, loring s unit fought north korean , chinese ground targets. november 22, 1952, loring had completed 50 combat missions. @ time ground battle in korea had developed stalemate, 2 sides firmly entrenched along 38th parallel. throughout november, un forces had been launching operation showdown against 2 targets: triangle hill , sniper ridge, northwest of kunwha, 20 miles (32 km) north of 38th parallel. during battle, chinese managed amass 133 large caliber guns, 24 bm-13 rocket launchers , 47 anti-aircraft guns in largest chinese artillery operation during korean war, , posed serious threat ground troops of rok 2nd infantry division operating in area. artillery heavily guarded, forcing un forces use airpower combat them.

medal of honor action , death

late in morning of november 22, 1952, loring led flight of 4 f-80s on patrol on kunwha. upon radioing forward air controller, told t-6 texan flying on sniper ridge had spotted concentration of artillery near ridge pinning down un ground troops on ridge. told artillery concentration surrounded heavy presence of anti-aircraft guns. loring ordered flight location, spotting artillery concentration. after loring began dive bombing run, spotted anti-aircraft batteries. chinese crews operating them highly skilled, , @ distance, batteries fired extremely accurate barrage struck loring s aircraft several times on nose , fuselage. fire disabled aircraft. wingmen, noting damage, suggested abort bombing mission, flight not far behind lines , loring s aircraft have attempted return trip. instead, loring ceased radio contact, , resumed appeared standard bombing mission. @ 4,000 feet (1,200 m), however, loring accelerated aircraft @ 40-degree angle in appeared controlled maneuver, lining chinese batteries. other pilots reported watched, stunned, loring dove damaged aircraft battery position. loring killed instantly in impact, action resulted in complete destruction of battery position.

loring s remains never recovered after crash , listed missing in action, presumed dead.