serviceyears branch death_place death_date birth_place allegiance unit awards placeofburial_label battles birth_date placeofburial rank article_title name
1942 -- 1952 united states united states kunwha , north korea 22 november 1952 portland , maine united states of america 22nd fighter squadron 36th fighter-bomber squadron 80th fighter-bomber squadron medal 2 -rrb- air medal -lrb- 12 -rrb- of honor distinguished flying cross purple heart -lrb- place of burial world war ii korean war 02 october 1918 arlington national cemetery national memorial cemetery of the pacific major 20px charles j. loring , jr. .
 charles joseph loring , jr.
charles j. loring , jr. .

charles joseph loring , jr. -lrb- october 2 , 1918 -- november 22 , 1952 -rrb- was a fighter pilot in the united states army air forces in world war ii , and later in the united states air force in the korean war .
loring rose to the rank of major and posthumously received the medal of honor for his heroic actions on november 22 , 1952 above kunwha , north korea during a close air support mission .
born in portland , maine , loring joined the u.s. army in 1942 and was quickly selected to undergo pilot training .
he spent several months stationed in puerto rico before being transferred to duty in the united kingdom in 1944 .
there , he flew 55 combat missions in p-47 thunderbolt aircraft before being shot down and serving six months as a nazi german prisoner of war .
by the outset of the korean war , loring was working in an administrative role in the united states , but by 1952 had been transferred to combat duty in korea .
during a patrol on november 22 , 1952 , loring was leading a flight of f-80 shooting stars of the 80th fighter-bomber squadron in an attack on a chinese artillery position .
during the run , his aircraft was struck by intense and accurate anti aircraft fire .
rather than abort the mission , loring continued his diving run , aiming his disabled aircraft at the position and obliterating it , killing himself in the process .
after his death , loring was awarded the medal of honor and made the namesake of loring air force base in limestone , maine .
