Lt. Commander Edward Henry O'Hare, left an indelible mark as an American naval aviator during World War II.
O'Hare's final action unfolded on the night of November 26, 1943, as he led the U.S. Navy's inaugural nighttime fighter attack launched from an aircraft carrier. But there is a lot more story to tell before that night.
February 20, 2024
Lieutenant Commander Edward Henry O'Hare (March 13, 1914 – November 26, 1943) left an indelible mark as an American naval aviator during World War II. On February 20, 1942, he achieved a historic milestone by becoming the Navy's first fighter ace of the war. In a daring solo mission, O'Hare courageously engaged a formation of nine medium bombers approaching his aircraft carrier. Despite having limited ammunition, he skillfully shot down five enemy bombers, earning him the distinction of being the first naval aviator to receive the Medal of Honor in World War II.
Tragically, O'Hare's final action unfolded on the night of November 26, 1943, as he led the U.S. Navy's inaugural nighttime fighter attack launched from an aircraft carrier. Engaging a group of Japanese torpedo bombers, O'Hare's Grumman F6F Hellcat was shot down, and his aircraft was never recovered. In honor of his sacrifice, the U.S. Navy named the destroyer USS O'Hare (DD-889) in 1945.
Six years after O'Hare's untimely death, on September 19, 1949, the Chicago-area Orchard Field Airport was renamed O'Hare International Airport. This renaming served as a lasting tribute to his legacy. To commemorate O'Hare's heroic actions, an F4F Wildcat, adorned in a livery identical to his aircraft ("White F-15"), is proudly displayed in Terminal 2. The unveiling of this display coincided with the seventy-fifth anniversary of his Medal of Honor flight.
Edward Henry "Butch" O'Hare's early life was rooted in St. Louis, Missouri. Born to Selma Anna (Lauth) and Edward Joseph O'Hare, he hailed from a family of Irish and German descent. Butch had two sisters, Patricia and Marilyn. The family experienced a significant change in 1927 when their parents divorced. Following the separation, Butch and his sisters remained with their mother, Selma, in St. Louis, while their father, Edward, relocated to Chicago.
Edward Joseph O'Hare, Butch's father, was a lawyer with a notable history. He had close associations with Al Capone, the infamous mobster, before eventually turning against him. Edward played a crucial role in Capone's conviction for tax evasion. This decision marked a significant shift in his life and career, aligning himself with the forces seeking justice against organized crime.
In November 1939, tragedy struck the O'Hare family when Butch's father was shot and killed, presumably by gunmen associated with Al Capone. Notably, during Capone's tax evasion trial in 1931 and 1932, Butch's father had provided crucial evidence that contributed to Capone's conviction. Speculation surrounds the motive behind this act, with suggestions that it was either to secure Butch's admission to the Naval Academy or to establish a positive example. However, a significant aspect of this decision was likely an attempt to distance himself from Capone's criminal activities. Sadly, Butch's father lost his life in the line of duty, being shot and killed while driving his car just a week before Capone's release from incarceration.
Upon completing his naval aviation training on May 2, 1940, Butch O'Hare was assigned to Fighter Squadron Three (VF-3) aboard the USS Saratoga. He underwent training on the Grumman F3F and later progressed to the Brewster F2A Buffalo. During this time, Lieutenant John Thach, then the executive officer of VF-3, recognized O'Hare's exceptional flying skills and became a close mentor to the promising young pilot. Thach, who would later develop the Thach Weave aerial combat tactic, placed a strong emphasis on gunnery in O'Hare's training. In 1941, O'Hare, along with more than half of all VF-3 pilots, earned the "E" for gunnery excellence.
In early 1941, VF-3 transferred to the USS Enterprise (CV-6) while the USS Saratoga underwent maintenance and overhaul work at the Bremerton Navy Yard. In a photograph of VF-3, Lt. Edward "Butch" O'Hare is pictured in the front row, second from the right.
On the morning of Monday, July 21, O'Hare piloted his first flight in a Grumman F4F Wildcat. Following stops in Washington and Dayton, he landed in St. Louis on Tuesday. During a hospital visit to the wife of a friend that afternoon, O'Hare encountered his future wife, nurse Rita Wooster, and proposed to her on their first meeting. After O'Hare underwent instruction in Roman Catholicism to convert, he and Rita were married at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Phoenix on Saturday, September 6, 1941. For their honeymoon, they sailed to Hawaii on separate ships, with Butch on the Saratoga, which had completed modifications at Bremerton, and Rita on the Matson liner Lurline. However, Butch's military duty called him into action the day after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.
On the evening of Sunday, January 11, 1942, as Butch and other VF-3 officers had dinner in the wardroom, the carrier Saratoga sustained damage from a Japanese torpedo hit while patrolling southwest of Hawaii. Spending five months in repair on the west coast, the VF-3 squadron transferred to the USS Lexington on January 31.
On February 20, 1942, during the Pacific War, Lieutenant Commander Edward "Butch" O'Hare experienced his most famous flight. Stationed on the aircraft carrier Lexington, the ship had been assigned the task of penetrating enemy-held waters north of New Ireland. About 450 miles from Rabaul, the Lexington's radar detected an unknown aircraft 35 miles away from the ship at 10:15. A six-plane combat patrol, directed by Thach, was launched, and two fighters were sent to investigate. Thach's group shot down a Japanese flying boat ("Mavis") about 43 miles out at 11:12. Two other planes from the patrol were dispatched to another radar contact, shooting down a second "Mavis" at 12:02. Another contact was made 80 miles out but reversed course and disappeared.
At 15:42, the Lexington's radar detected a new signal. O'Hare, flying the F4F Wildcat "White F-15", was launched along with other pilots to intercept nine Japanese Mitsubishi G4M "Betty" bombers. O'Hare's squadron mates shot down eight bombers, leaving him and his wingman, Marion "Duff" Dufilho, in reserve for a potential second attack.
At 16:49, a second formation of "Bettys" from the 4th Kōkūtai's 1st Chutai appeared on radar only 12 miles out on the disengaged side of the task force. With the majority of VF-3 still chasing the first group, only O'Hare and Dufilho were available to intercept. Arriving 1,500 feet above the "Bettys" at 17:00, Dufilho's guns jammed, leaving O'Hare alone to protect the carrier.
O'Hare engaged the enemy in a high-side diving attack, employing deflection shooting. He targeted the outside plane, damaging its right engine and wing fuel tanks. Switching to the next plane, O'Hare damaged the right engine and left fuel tank of Petty Officer 1st Class Koji Maeda's aircraft, forcing him to abort his mission. O'Hare then targeted Petty Officer 1st Class Susumu Uchiyama's plane, scoring his first kill.
During his third pass, O'Hare shot down Lieutenant (junior grade) Akira Mitani, achieving his second kill. In the fourth pass, O'Hare ran out of ammunition but continued to protect the carrier. The surviving Japanese bombers dropped their bombs, but all missed the Lexington. O'Hare believed he had shot down six bombers and damaged a seventh, but Captain Sherman later reduced the count to five. Thach, rushing to the scene with reinforcements, observed three enemy bombers falling in flames simultaneously.
In reality, O'Hare destroyed three "Bettys": Uchiyama's, Mitani's, and the command plane of Lieutenant Commander Takuzo Ito. Ito's plane suffered a violent explosion, leading other Japanese pilots to believe it was hit by anti-aircraft fire. O'Hare damaged three more bombers, and one attempted to crash into the Lexington but missed and crashed into the water at 17:12. O'Hare returned to his carrier, mistakenly fired upon by a .50-caliber machine gun from the Lexington. Only one bullet hit O'Hare's fighter, disabling the airspeed indicator.
Admiral Brown and Captain Frederick C. Sherman believed O'Hare's actions saved the carrier from serious damage or loss. By 19:00, all Lexington planes had been recovered, except for two Wildcats shot down while attacking enemy bombers. O'Hare's F4F Wildcat, BuNo. 4031, was transferred to VF-2 after the Lexington returned to port and flew from the Yorktown at the Coral Sea.
After his heroic actions on February 20, 1942, Edward "Butch" O'Hare received widespread recognition and accolades. On March 26, he arrived at Pearl Harbor and was greeted by a horde of reporters and radio announcers. During a radio broadcast in Honolulu, he conveyed greetings to his wife Rita and his mother. On April 8, he expressed gratitude to the Grumman Aircraft Corporation plant at Bethpage, where the F4F Wildcat was manufactured. The Grumman workers, appreciative of O'Hare's combat victories in their aircraft, had collected funds to buy him 1,150 cartons of Lucky Strike cigarettes, totaling 230,000 cigarettes. Despite being a loyal Camel smoker, O'Hare opened a carton as a gesture of appreciation, stating in his letter to the Grumman employees, "You build them, we'll fly them and between us, we can't be beaten."
Credited with shooting down five bombers during the February 20 mission, O'Hare became a flying ace and was selected for promotion to lieutenant commander. He also became the first naval aviator to receive the Medal of Honor. In a ceremony with President Franklin D. Roosevelt present, O'Hare's wife Rita placed the Medal around his neck. Described as "modest, inarticulate, humorous, terribly nice, and more than a little embarrassed by the whole thing," O'Hare's bravery and skill were evident.
Later in 1943, O'Hare received further decorations for his actions in battles near Marcus Island in August and subsequent missions near Wake Island in October. His contributions to the war effort and his courage in the face of enemy attacks solidified his place in history as a celebrated naval aviator.
In August 1943, equipped with the new Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat, Edward "Butch" O'Hare led two-thirds of VF-6 (twenty-four F6F-3s) on the light carrier USS Independence. The Hellcat, with its powerful Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radial engines, marked a significant advancement, providing the U.S. Pacific Fleet air supremacy wherever the Fast Carrier Force operated. The Hellcat's combat debut on August 31, 1943, in a strike against Marcus Island, demonstrated its effectiveness against Japanese fighters, challenging the perception of the Japanese Zero as a superior enemy.
For his actions in battles near Marcus Island on August 31, 1943, O'Hare was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Subsequent missions near Wake Island on October 5, 1943, earned him a Gold Star in lieu of a second Distinguished Flying Cross.
On October 10, 1943, O'Hare flew with VF-6 in airstrikes against Wake Island. During this mission, he was accompanied by Lt.(jg) Alex Vraciu as his wingman, and both O'Hare and Vraciu shot down enemy planes. O'Hare's leadership and guidance during this mission left a lasting impact on squadron members, with Vraciu recalling O'Hare's teachings on tactics that later saved lives.
In October 1943, O'Hare was assigned as Commander Air Group (CAG) and took command of Air Group Six, overseeing three squadrons with Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters, Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers, and Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo bombers. Despite his elevated position, O'Hare maintained a close relationship with his squadrons and insisted on being addressed by his nickname, "Butch."
As CAG, O'Hare commanded the entire Enterprise air group, leading a mix of aircraft and pilots. The USS Enterprise, a Yorktown-class aircraft carrier, played a crucial role in providing air support during the U.S. forces' landing in the Gilberts (Tarawa and Makin) from November 20 to November 23, 1943. The Hellcat's capabilities allowed U.S. Navy fighter pilots to effectively protect the fleet from Japanese aircraft attacks.