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John Simon Loisel
Col. John S. Loisel (then Maj.)
Place of burial	Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery
Allegiance	United States of America
Service / branch	United States Army United States Air Force
Years of service	1941–1970
Rank	Colonel
Commands	432nd Fighter Squadron 475th Fighter Group 63rd Fighter Squadron 474th Fighter Bomber Group 83rd Fighter Group
Battles / wars	World War II South West Pacific Theatre New Guinea campaign (1943-1944) Philippines campaign (1944–45)
Awards	Silver Star Distinguished Flying Cross (4) Air Medal (9)
Other work	High School Physics teacher

Colonel John Simon Loisel (May 21, 1920 – January 20, 2010) was an American air ace, having shot down 11 Japanese aircraft during World War II. He was a fighter pilot in the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) and became a career Air Force officer. By age 26, Loisel had spent more time in combat than any other American pilot in World War II. Loisel commanded Fighter Groups in both World War II and Korea, along with several peace-time commands.

Early life

Loisel was born in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho on May 21, 1920 and moved with his family to Norfolk, Nebraska early in life, graduating from high school there. From 1938 to 1941 he attended Wayne State Teacher's College, Nebraska (now Wayne State College) and the University of Nebraska. He then entered the USAAF for flight training at Mather Field, California on March 10, 1941 and received his pilot wings on October 31, 1941.

Military career

Upon receiving his wings and a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant, he was initially assigned as an instructor. In late 1941 he was assigned as a Bell P-39 Airacobra fighter pilot with the 36th Fighter Squadron, 8th Fighter Group, based in New Guinea. By June 1943, he had flown 83 combat missions in both the P-39D and the P-400 versions. Loisel was then assigned as cadre for the newly formed 432nd Fighter Squadron, 475th Fighter Group, the first Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter group formed in the USAAF.

Once assigned to the 432nd Fighter Squadron, he began to show his skills as a pilot. Flying a P-38H (serial no. 42-66682, named the Screaming Kid), Loisel shot down five Japanese fighters within his first two months and earning a promotion to Captain. On January 22, 1944, Loisel assumed command of the 432nd Fighter Squadron. Loisel was known for his aggressiveness, instructing his pilots to "Head for the main body of the enemy - disregard stragglers...(and) plow into the largest bunch you see." In August 1944, Loisel returned to the United States as a Major.

In January 1945, Loisel returned to the 475th Fighter Group as the Operations Officer. On May 15, 1945 he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and on July 15, 1945 he became the Commanding Officer of the 475th Fighter Group. He relinquished command on April 18, 1946 and returned to the States. He had, by the age of 25, become a Lt. Colonel, a Group Commander, earned the Silver Star, been in combat longer than any other American fighter pilot, and flown more than 875 hours in combat.

On return to the United States, Loisel returned to the University of Nebraska to earn his bachelor's degree in physics (in 1949) and was assigned as the Commanding Officer of the 63rd Fighter Squadron (an Air Defense - Interceptor unit), based at Selfridge Air Force Base, Michigan, where he led the transition of the unit to the Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star jet fighter. After a staff tour at Headquarters, Air Defense Command, Loisel returned to combat in Korea in May 1953, having been promoted to full Colonel on December 1, 1951. Once there, Loisel commanded the 474th Fighter Bomber Group, flying the Republic F-84 Thunderjet fighter. He flew an additional 22 combat missions.

Later assignments included tours as the Commander, 83rd Fighter Group and Deputy Commander, 4th Tactical Fighter Wing. In 1970, having achieved the rank of Colonel, over 5,500 flying hours, and 323 combat missions, he retired from the Air Force.

Later life

Following his retirement from the Air Force, Loisel attended North Texas State University (now the University of North Texas), obtaining his master's degree in physics in 1972. Loisel then taught physics at Plano Senior High School in Plano, Texas from 1972 to 1985. Col. Loisel passed away from natural causes on January 20, 2010 in Plano, Texas and was interred at the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery.

Aerial victories

Awards and decorations

•   USAF command pilot badge
•   Silver Star
•   Legion of Merit
•   Distinguished Flying Crosses with three oak leaf clusters
•   Air Medal with two silver oak leaf clusters
•   Presidential Unit Citation with four oak leaf clusters
•   American Defense Service Medal with one star.
•   Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with two silver stars.
•   World War II Victory Medal
•   Army of Occupation Medal
•   National Defense Service Medal
•   Korean Service Medal
•   Air Force Longevity Service Ribbon with silver oak leaf
•   Philippine Liberation Medal
• File:Philippine Independence Medal Ribbon.JPG  Philippine Independence Medal
•   Republic of Korea Ulchi Medal with silver star
•   United Nations Korea Medal

Other honors

• Grand Marshall, Dallas Veteran's Day Parade, Dallas, Texas, 2007
• Nebraska Aviation Hall of Fame, inducted 1994
• U.S. Air Force Gathering of Eagles, inducted 1991

See also

• List of World War II air aces
• List of World War II aces from the United States

Notes

1. ^ "Air Command and Staff College Gathering of Eagles, Eagle Biography, John S. Loisel". www.au.af.mil. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
2. ^ Holmes, p. 114
3. Holmes, p. 126
4. Stanaway, p. 36
5. ^ Fighter Combat Tactics in the Southwest Pacific Area, p. 73
6. Foley, p. 349
7. ^ Holmes, p. 115
8. Foley, p. 347
9. Dallas Morning News, January 26, 2010, Simnacher, Joe, "John S. Loisel was Plano high physics teacher, WWII fighter pilot"
10. Holmes, Tony, ed. (2004), Twelve to One: V Fighter Command Aces of the Pacific, Oxford, U.K., Osprey Publishing, Ltd., pp. 114-115, ISBN 1 84176 784 0
11. ^ McAulay, p. 85
12. ^ McAulay, p. 219
13. ^ Stanaway, p. 38
14. Stanaway, p. 44

References

• Fifth Air Force Staff (2007), Fighter Combat Tactics in the Southwest Pacific Area, Bennington, VT, Merriam Press, ISBN 1 57638 064 5
• Foley, Erin, ed. (1980), Air Force Combat Units of World War II, New York, NY, Arno Press, ISBN 0 405 12146 6
• Holmes, Tony, ed. (2004), Twelve to One: V Fighter Command Aces of the Pacific, Oxford, U.K., Osprey Publishing, Ltd., ISBN 1 84176 784 0
• McAulay, Lex (2005), MacArthur's Eagles: the U.S. Air War Over New Guinea, Annapolis, MD, Naval Institute Press, ISBN 1 59114 479 5
• Stanaway, John (2004), P-38 Lightning Aces of the Pacific and CBI, Oxford, U.K., Osprey Publishing, Ltd., ISBN 1 85532 633 7

External links

• Adamsplanes.com: John Loisel's P-38
• Acepilots.com: Major John S. Loisel: P-38 Lightning Ace of the 475th FG
• Fighteracesonline.com: John S. Loisel
• USAF Air University: Eagle Biography: John Loisel

Template:Persondata

• 1920 births
• 2010 deaths
• American World War II flying aces
• Recipients of the Silver Star
• Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)
• Recipients of the Air Medal
• United States Air Force officers