Dean Hess
| Dean Hess | |
|---|---|
Colonel Hess in Korea
|
|
| Birth name | Dean Elmer Hess |
| Born |
December 6, 1917 Marietta, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | March 2, 2015 (aged 97) Huber Heights, Ohio, U.S. |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Air Force |
| Years of service | 1941–69 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Battles/wars |
World War II Korean War |
| Awards | Silver Star, Order of the White Elephant, Legion of Merit, Air Medal |
Dean Elmer Hess (December 6, 1917 – March 2, 2015) was an American minister and United States Air Force colonel who was involved in the so-called "Kiddy Car Airlift," the documented rescue of 950 orphans and 80 orphanage staff from the path of the Chinese advance during the Korean War on December 20, 1950. He is the subject of autobiography Battle Hymn, published in 1956, which later served the basis for the 1957 film of the same name, where he was played by Rock Hudson.
Hess was born in 1917. He attended Marietta College, Ohio, graduating in the class of 1941. Following this, he was ordained as a church minister in Cleveland, Ohio. Following the December 7, 1941 Attack on Pearl Harbor, Hess enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces. He served as a combat pilot in France after the Normandy landings, and flew a total of 63 combat missions in P-47s.
Despite returning to civilian life, Hess was recalled to active service in July 1948, and was stationed in Japan as part of the American occupation there. In June 1950, he was transferred to Korea at the outbreak of the Korean War as the commander of Bout One Project, the program under which a cadre of USAF instructor pilots trained South Korean pilots in flying the P-51D Mustang. Hess served in Korea until June the following year, at which time he had flown 250 combat missions. Also during his tour, he became involved in charity organizations for orphaned children in the war zone, and his airfield was reportedly full of such children.
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Wikipedia