Butch O'Hare: Profiling one of America's first aces

Edward Henry "Butch" O'Hare was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on 13 March 1914. O'Hare graduated from the US Naval Academy on 3 June 1937, and was assigned to the USS New Mexico where he spent two years before transferring to flight training which he entered in June 1939.

O'Hare received his wings at NAS Pensacola in May 1940 was immediately assigned to VF-3 aboard the USS Saratoga (CV-3) which was flying Grumman Wildcats.

By February 1942, VF-3 was aboard the USS Lexington (CV-2) was a vital part of the first task force dispatched to attack the Japanese at Rabaul, New Britain. On the 20th of that month, patrolling Wildcats encountered 18 G4M Betty bombers heading for the carrier. Immediately attacking, the diving fighters shot down five of the bombers during their first pass. However, as the second vee of bombers approached only two F4Fs were in position to attack.

O'Hare was one of the two attackers but the guns on the second Wildcat jammed and it withdrew to let O'Hare make the interception. Attacking from the rear, O'Hare shot down three of the enemy (having dispatched two in the first dive) with F4F-3 BuNo 4031 and the surviving bombers hastily dropped their bombs - missing their targets - and headed home.

O'Hare had destroyed five of the enemy and perhaps had saved the Lexington from damage or destruction. For this feat, he was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Franklin Roosevelt on 21 April 1942, as the US Navy's first ace of World War Two.

Promoted to lieutenant commander, O'Hare took over command of VF-3 on 19 June 1942 (which became VF-6 on 15 July 1943). Promotions came rapidly and O'Hare became commanding officer of CVG-6 on 17 September 1943 and led CVG-6 into combat in the central Pacific aboard USS Enterprise (CV-6). O'Hare became involved in pioneering experiments in the co-operative control of Avengers and Hellcats for night fighting. On the night of 5 October, O'Hare was flying F6F-3 Hellcat BuNo 04884 in conjunction with the Avengers when the Americans intercepted an incoming Japanese raid. O'Hare shot down a Zeke and a Betty but then disappeared in controversial circumstances.

Destroyer O'Hare (DD-889) was named in his honor and on 18 September 1949, Douglas Field in Chicago was renamed O'Hare Field.