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In Memory of U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sergeant

Roy John Mohr

Rapid City, South Dakota, Pennington County

 December 12, 1931 – May  28, 1968

Died as a Result of a Severe Heart Attack at Tan Son Nhut Airbase in Vietnam

 

Roy John Mohr was born December 12, 1931, in Ogallala, Nebraska, to George and Martha Mohr. He had two brothers, Loren and Harry, and a sister, Ella. After his schooling, he entered the Air Force and was a veteran of the Korean War, stationed at a base on Okinawa, Japan. After the culture shock of being in a foreign land amid our former enemies of WW II, he “had opportunities to interact with the local [Japanese] citizens” and wrote home about how hard working they were and how interesting their culture was. After his tour of duty during the Korean War, Roy had an increased appreciation for cultural differences, seeing that most people in the world are more alike than they are different. After he returned to the United States, Roy was eventually stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base in Rapid City, South Dakota, where he was based for the next ten years, working primarily on B52s while attached to the 28th Organizational Maintenance Squadron.

On July 21, 1951, Roy married Opal Fisher in Paxton, Nebraska. They had two daughters, Susan and Julie. Roy is remembered for “being great with people” particularly the kids in the neighborhood. His hobbies were camping, hunting, and fishing. But sometimes the kids and the hunting didn’t go too well together. His daughter, Julie, remembers that she and her friend, Marcia, were going to go hunting with Roy but then they added Marcia’s brother, Bobbie, and on it went until Roy had a number of young children following behind him looking for deer. At the time, none of them noticed that Roy had not even bothered to bring his gun along! Knowing he’d never get a deer anyway and looking out for the safety of the kids, Roy had them looking for deer tracks and collecting pine cones instead.

Mohr had a variety of duty assignments while stationed at Ellsworth, including six months spent on Guam in 1966. In November of 1967, Master Sergeant Mohr was deployed to Tan Son Nhut Airbase in Vietnam, attached to the 377th Combat Support Group. Julie wrote that although Roy didn’t “like the idea of war—of people dying on either side, he sincerely did believe that people everywhere should have the right to self-determination. He thought that the people of South Vietnam should have a right to freedom and a democratic government and not be forced to live under Communist rule against their will.” Like many others, he worked hard in Vietnam. It was not uncommon for MSGT Mohr to work 18- to 22-hour days and sometimes he worked “round the clock.” But he always still thought of other people. He had a portable transistor radio that he wanted a local Vietnamese woman to enjoy while she cleaned the barracks. So as to not take advantage of his generosity, she would bring her own battery so that she wouldn’t wear down his. Roy also tried to help her with a little food to support the little boy who came with her, and Roy’s children sometimes sent toys for him.

On May 15, 1968, MSGT Mohr had “the first attack in which he knew he was having a serious medical event” while Tan Son Nhut, Vietnam. He “awoke with chest pain so severe that he could not speak. He was able to get the attention of another guy by getting hold of his watch on the nightstand and tossing it over at the other fellow.” After being admitted to the base hospital, doctors determined that Roy had probably first had an attack during his sleep while on R & R in Japan a month or so earlier when he had slept pretty much straight through his first 48 hours of leave. His daughter, Julie, remembers that during the several weeks that followed—the last weeks of his life—he “gave no hint of knowing that his career was over or that the odds were against his surviving long term.” Instead he wrote letters to family and friends and seemed very cheerful although he was not able to use the portable tape recorder that he had previously used to record some letters.

On May 28, 1968, Master Sergeant Roy John Mohr died in Vietnam “as a result of cardiac arrest from a heart attack.” His body was returned to the United States and after a funeral service, he was buried at Black Hills National Cemetery with military honors provided by a unit from Ellsworth Air Force Base.

Besides being promoted posthumously to Senior Master Sergeant, Mohr’s awards included the Bronze Star.

Roy was survived at the time of his death by his wife, Opal; daughters, Susan and Julie; parents, George and Martha; brothers, Loren and Harry, and sister, Mrs. Ella (Al) Fisher. His parents, wife, and brother Loren have since passed away. Opal is buried with Roy at Black Hills National Cemetery.

In closing, Julie spoke for her family when she wrote, “We remain very proud of Dad’s commitment to his faith, to his service for our country, and his love for his family and friends.”

  
Two of the last three photos known to have been taken of Roy Mohr; left: 11/67 at Travis AFB before deployment to Vietnam; right: early months (March or April?) of ’68 on leave in Japan

This entry was respectfully submitted by Katherine Kemp, 8th grade, Spearfish Middle School, Spearfish, South Dakota, on March 28, 2006. Information for this entry was provided by the Rapid City Journal May 30, 1968 and June 3, 1968 issues and by Ella Fisher, Rapid City. Additional information, photos, and profile approval were provided by daughters, Susan Langer and Julie Mohr, Missoula, Montana.