Edward O'Hare

Edward O'Hare, born on March 13, 1914, was a distinguished American naval aviator in the United States Navy. He made history on February 20, 1942, by becoming the Navy's first fighter ace of World War II. In a remarkable display of bravery, O'Hare single-handedly engaged a formation of nine medium bombers that were approaching his aircraft carrier. Despite having a limited supply of ammunition, he successfully shot down five enemy bombers, earning him the prestigious Medal of Honor, making him the first naval aviator to receive this honor during the war.

O'Hare's valor did not end there. His final mission occurred on the night of November 26, 1943, when he led the U.S. Navy's inaugural nighttime fighter attack launched from an aircraft carrier. Tragically, during this encounter with Japanese torpedo bombers, O'Hare's Grumman F6F Hellcat was shot down, and his aircraft was never recovered. A radio message was dispatched, but there was no response, marking a somber end to a heroic career.

In recognition of his extraordinary contributions, the U.S. Navy honored O'Hare posthumously by naming the destroyer USS O'Hare (DD-889) after him in 1945. Additionally, on September 19, 1949, Orchard Field Airport in the Chicago area was renamed O'Hare International Airport, six years after his untimely death. A tribute to his legacy can be found in Terminal 2, where an F4F Wildcat, painted in the same livery as O'Hare's aircraft, is on display, commemorating the seventy-fifth anniversary of his Medal of Honor flight.