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Colonel Harold E. Fischer, USAF (ret.)
served in the Untied States Air Force during both the Korean War and Vietnam War. According to Military
History Magazine, “The Korean War was the era of the jet ace. Among them, Iowa native Harold E. “Hal” Fischer,
the 25th pilot to achieve ace status during the conflict, was one of the most remarkable. After flying 105 ground support
missions in Lockheed F-80 fighter-bombers, he wangled a second combat tour in the North American F-86 and soon began racking
up Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15s. He became an ace on his 47th mission and got his 10th victory on his 66th. On his 70th mission,
however, his luck ran out. In a fight over Manchuria, he damaged three MiGs before becoming the fifth victory for a Chinese
pilot. He spent the next two years as a Chinese prisoner of war in Manchuria.” According to
the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation, “During the Vietnam War, Fischer served as an advisor to the South Vietnamese
Air Force, flying helicopter gunships, propeller driven A-1 Skyraiders attack aircraft and F-5 jet fighters. His
final Air Force assignment was with the U.S. State Department's Arms Control and Disarmament Agency.”
Harold E. Fischer is the author of Dreams of aces: The Hal Fischer story, Korea and Vietnam.
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According to one reader of Dreams
of aces: The Hal Fischer story, Korea and Vietnam, “If you are considering reading this book, you definitely
should. Hal Fischer was a fighter "Ace" and a P.O.W., military (or at least pilot) stories can't get much better
than this one. I will warn you, the first 50 pages are a cultural introduction to military life and a bit slow, picking up
the pace considerably as he starts flying jets. At the second third I was not able to stop reading until it was complete.
The suspense of what was going to happen was extremely captivating, and I already new he was an "Ace" and a P.O.W.!
This book extends the meaning of honor & respect, without political agendas. Should be required reading for kids, pilots,
or anyone considering a life in the military.”
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