Colonel Lee V. Grosshuesch's Obituary
Colonel Lee Grosshuesch United States Air Force, Retired passed away on May 7, 2015, a day after his 95th birthday. He was born May 6, 1920 in Menno, South Dakota, the eldest of three brothers. He is survived by his wife, Lois, his brother, Glenn Grosshuesch, SD, his son, Gary Grosshuesch, HI, his daughters, Lindy Klaus, VA, and Gail Van De Verg, HI, and seven grandchildren.
Lee enlisted in the US Army in 1942. From 1943 to 1946, he served in the 39th Squadron, in the Pacific Theater, flying P-47’s and P-51’s. He was a credited Ace, with eight aerial kills and the singlehanded destruction of a Japanese destroyer in 1945, for which he earned the Silver Star.
Lee served in Ankura, Turkey from 1949 to 1951, and in Itazuke, Japan from 1955 to 1958. There, he flew F-86’s, and F-100’s. He graduated from Air Command & Staff College, in Alabama in 1959, and from Air War College in 1964. In 1964, Lee transferred to Vietnam, where he served as Commander, Special Operations Group.
Lee was assigned to HQ PACAF in Hickam AFB, HI, from 1965 to 1968, and to the Pentagon from 1968 to 1970. Following his retirement from the Air Force in 1973, Lee was Sales Manager at the Weyerhaeuser Paper Company, HI from 1973 to 1992.
Colonel Grosshuesch’s military decorations include the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, and the Air Force Commendation Medal. He was a command pilot with over 5,000 flying hours, and was qualified in the P-40, P-51, P-47, P-38, F-84, F-86, F-100, B-25, C-47, C-45, T-33, and C-123 aircraft.
Lee Grosshuesch will be greatly missed and fondly remembered by family and friends.
Services will be held on Wednesday, June 10, 2015 at Parker United Methodist Church in Kaneohe; Visitation from: 11:45 – 12:30 p.m., Service to begin at: 12:30 p.m.
Burial: 2:00 p.m. at the Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery
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