Edited and Corrected by Barbara (Wolfe) Kucharczyk, daughter, June 20, 2019.

ROLAND L WOLFE, WAYNESVILLE, NC

Retired Lt Col. Roland L Wolfe. 76, of East Ridge Retirement Village, Miami, Fla., died Jan. 28, 1994, after an extended illness.

A native of Lincoln, Neb., he was the son of the late John and Ella Wolfe of Lincoln, Neb. He was educated at the University of Nebraska and was a member of Christ Congregational Church. He joined the Masonic Lodge of Lincoln, Neb., in 1948 and remained a member of the lodge throughout his life.

He began his military career in 1939 when he was recruited by the British Royal Air Force while teaching aero-acrobatics at Love Field in Dallas, Texas. He flew with the 133 Squadron, of the famed "Eagle Squadrons," until his plane was forced down over Eire in December 1941. He was detained as a prisoner of war at The Curragh Camp near Dublin. In 1943, the camp closed and he transferred to the 8th Air Force of the U.S. Army Air Corps.

During his career, Wolfe served In various duties from ROTC and Fighter Weapons School instructor to radar squadron commander. He served in the Pacific, European, and Southeast Asian theaters as well as the United States. He was as a command pilot with over 18,000 flight hours and more than 800 combat missions. He flew such aircraft as the British Spitfire, F-86, F-105, and the F-4 Phantom in combat missions in World War II, the Korean War, and Vietnam. He retired from the United States Air Force in March 1970.

His awards and decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross with one oak leaf cluster, Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal with one Oak leaf cluster, European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with four bronze stars, Korean Service Medal with two bronze stars, American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Army of Occupation Medal (Germany), National Defense Service Medal with a bronze star, United Nations Service Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Air Force Longevity Service Award with six oak leaf clusters, and Vietnam Service Medal with Bronze Star.

He is survived by his wife, Geraldine Rogers Wolfe of Miami and formerly of Fines Creek, NC. Mrs. Wolfe is the daughter of the late Thomas and Fannie Rogers of the Fines Creek Community.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by his daughters, Lt. Col. Barbara Kucharczyk of Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., Betty Wolfe, M. Div., of Durham; sisters, Theaople Fowler of Carmel, Calif., Peggy Schulkins of Monterey, Calif.

A memorial service was held Feb. 5 at East Ridge Retirement Village Chapel, Miami, Fla. Entombment services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at 'CrawfordRay Memorial Gardens, Clyde, NC with the Rev. John Boggs officiating. Military rites will be conducted by the Asheville High School ROTC Unit.
The family will receive friends immediately after the service at Crawford-Ray Memorial Gardens "Pink House." At other times, the family will be at the home of William and Dorothy Greenleaf, of 408 Sims Circle, ' Waynesville.
Crawford-Ray Funeral Home is In charge of local arrangements.

(Asheville Citizen Times, June 10, 1996 p 14)

Edited and Corrected by Barbara (Wolfe) Kucharczyk, daughter, June 20, 2019.

ROLAND L WOLFE, WAYNESVILLE, NC

Retired Lt Col. Roland L Wolfe. 76, of East Ridge Retirement Village, Miami, Fla., died Jan. 28, 1994, after an extended illness.

A native of Lincoln, Neb., he was the son of the late John and Ella Wolfe of Lincoln, Neb. He was educated at the University of Nebraska and was a member of Christ Congregational Church. He joined the Masonic Lodge of Lincoln, Neb., in 1948 and remained a member of the lodge throughout his life.

He began his military career in 1939 when he was recruited by the British Royal Air Force while teaching aero-acrobatics at Love Field in Dallas, Texas. He flew with the 133 Squadron, of the famed "Eagle Squadrons," until his plane was forced down over Eire in December 1941. He was detained as a prisoner of war at The Curragh Camp near Dublin. In 1943, the camp closed and he transferred to the 8th Air Force of the U.S. Army Air Corps.

During his career, Wolfe served In various duties from ROTC and Fighter Weapons School instructor to radar squadron commander. He served in the Pacific, European, and Southeast Asian theaters as well as the United States. He was as a command pilot with over 18,000 flight hours and more than 800 combat missions. He flew such aircraft as the British Spitfire, F-86, F-105, and the F-4 Phantom in combat missions in World War II, the Korean War, and Vietnam. He retired from the United States Air Force in March 1970.

His awards and decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross with one oak leaf cluster, Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal with one Oak leaf cluster, European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with four bronze stars, Korean Service Medal with two bronze stars, American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Army of Occupation Medal (Germany), National Defense Service Medal with a bronze star, United Nations Service Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Air Force Longevity Service Award with six oak leaf clusters, and Vietnam Service Medal with Bronze Star.

He is survived by his wife, Geraldine Rogers Wolfe of Miami and formerly of Fines Creek, NC. Mrs. Wolfe is the daughter of the late Thomas and Fannie Rogers of the Fines Creek Community.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by his daughters, Lt. Col. Barbara Kucharczyk of Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., Betty Wolfe, M. Div., of Durham; sisters, Theaople Fowler of Carmel, Calif., Peggy Schulkins of Monterey, Calif.

A memorial service was held Feb. 5 at East Ridge Retirement Village Chapel, Miami, Fla. Entombment services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at 'CrawfordRay Memorial Gardens, Clyde, NC with the Rev. John Boggs officiating. Military rites will be conducted by the Asheville High School ROTC Unit.
The family will receive friends immediately after the service at Crawford-Ray Memorial Gardens "Pink House." At other times, the family will be at the home of William and Dorothy Greenleaf, of 408 Sims Circle, ' Waynesville.
Crawford-Ray Funeral Home is In charge of local arrangements.

(Asheville Citizen Times, June 10, 1996 p 14)