Walter Dorrer, a retired Air Force colonel, died June 27 at the Veterans Administration Hospital in the District after a sudden illness and long battle with Parkinson’s disease. He was 80.
Col. Dorrer was born in the Village of Rhinebeck, N.Y., where he attended public schools. He graduated from the University of Maryland.
Col. Dorrer served for 30 years in the Air Force, including service in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War as a pilot and logistician.
He earned the rank of flight officer upon receiving his rating as a single-engine fighter pilot. During combat training, he was wounded when hit by a .50-caliber machine gun bullet. This precluded his scheduled transfer to China. He subsequently piloted various types of jet fighters and multi-engine aircraft.
During the Korean War, he piloted 134 missions in transport aircraft while performing such missions as dropping supplies to surrounded Allied units, inserting and recovering intelligence agents behind enemy lines, flying air evacuation of wounded soldiers and those killed in action, and flying psychological warfare missions.
He also served during the Vietnam War as director of Logistics Plans for the 7th Air Force.
His military assignments included logistics officer for the White House Presidential Unit (Air Force One) under the Eisenhower, Kennedy and Johnson administrations.
In addition to providing air transport for presidential and high ranking U.S. dignitaries, he also airlifted foreign government distinguished visitors, including Presidents Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy and Johnson, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip, and Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie.
He received numerous awards and decorations, including the Bronze Star, Air Medal and the Joint Services Commendation Medal. He was awarded honorary pilot wings in the Royal Thai Air Force.
Col. Dorrer retired in 1973 in Northern Virginia, where he worked with the George H. Rucker Realty Co. for many years. He was a member of the Episcopal Church.
He also was a member of numerous service organizations, including the Korean War Veterans, Disabled American Veterans, the Air Force Association, the Military Officers Association, the 49th Fighter Group Association and the Vietnam Veterans Association.
He is survived by his wife, Evelyn, of Arlington; two daughters, Katherine Dorrer of Arlington and Sharon Rossiter of Denver; two sisters, Gladys Ogden of Boynton Beach, Fla., and Helen Dugan of Poughkeepsie, N.Y.; two brothers, Fred Dorrer of Cobleskill, N.Y., and Richard Dorrer of Pine Plains, N.Y.; and two grandchildren.
Visiting hours will be on Sept. 8 from 2 to 5 p.m. at Arlington Funeral Home, 3901 N. Fairfax Drive.
Services and burial with full military honors will be on Sept. 9 at 10 a.m. at Fort Myer Post Chapel, followed by a horse-drawn caisson procession to Arlington National Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Parkinson Foundation of the National Capital Area, 7913 Westpark Drive, Suite 101, McLean VA 22102. More information is available at www.geocities.com/wdorrer.
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