Born in November 1920, John Fair grew up in Battle Creek, Michigan and entered Navy flight training in 1941. He Served as a flight instructor during the early portion of WWII, eventually obtaining a posting as an F6F Hellcat pilot in Fighting Squadron 80. With lengthy flight experience recorded in his logbook, Lieutenant Fair scored his first kill on his first combat mission. Flying from USS Ticonderoga, Fair was involved in VF-80's initial encounter with airborne Japanese aircraft on 5 November 1944 over the Philippines. The squadron shot down four enemy fighters and damaged six others, Fair claiming an 'Oscar' destroyed and damaged. Transferred to Ticonderoga's sister ship, Hancock, Air Group 80 ranged over Japanese held territory from Formosa to Indochina to Iwo Jima and the home islands. Fighter sweeps against Tokyo on 16 February 1945 resulted in the staggering toll of 71 Japanese aircraft destroyed in the air by Fighting 80. The morning mission was Fair's best of the war as he bagged an 'Oscar' and a 'Tojo' by himself, sharing a 'Zeke' and a 'Dinah' with two wingmen. The day's combats figured prominently in the careers of VF-80's dozen aces. Fair remained in the Navy after the war, accumulating more than 6,000 hours in 15 fighter types before retiring in 1971. He makes his home in Orange Park, Florida. |
Squadron Highlights
Lt. J.W. Fair, USN was the first VF-80 pilot to destroy an enemy aircraft in the air.
Japanese heavy cruiser NACHI sunk by planes of air group 80.
Japanese Kumano class cruiser sunk by planes of air group 80
Ens. Joseph Meotti awarded Navy Cross for Heroism
