Korean War Medal of Honor Recipient. A combat veteran of World War II and the Korean War, he received the award posthumously (presented to his widow),from President Dwight D. Eisenhower at the White House on May 5, 1954, for his actions as a major with the 80th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 8th Fighter-Bomber Wing, US Air Force, on November 22, 1952, at Kunwha, North Korea. He joined the US Army Air Corps in March 1942 and was selected as an aviation air cadet, and after completing his training, he was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant in the US Army Reserves. He flew anti-submarine patrols in the Caribbean Sea and the Panama Canal for a year before his unit deployed to England where he was engaged in flying support missions for Operation Overlord (D-Day invasion of France). On December 24, 1944, Loring was flying his 55th combat mission over Belgium when his P-47 Thunderbolt fighter aircraft was hit by flak artillery as he strafed ground targets. He crash-landed and he was subsequently captured and spent six months as a German prisoner of war. After being liberated on May 5, 1945, he remained in the US Army Air Corps and was promoted to the rank of captain. In 1952, following the outbreak of the Korean War, he was transferred to combat duty in Korea.. On that day, he was leading a flight of F-80 Shooting Star aircraft in an attack on a Chinese artillery position, and during the run, his aircraft was struck by intense and accurate anti-aircraft fire. Rather than abort the mission, he continued his diving run, aiming his disabled aircraft at the position and obliterating it, killing himself in the process. During his military career he was also awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Purple HEart (with one oak leaf cluster), the Air Medal (with two silver and one bronze oak leaf clusters), and the Belgian Croix de Guerre (with palm), among others. His Medal of Honor citation reads: "Maj. Loring distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. While leading a flight of four F-80 type aircraft on a close support mission, Maj. Loring was briefed by a controller to dive-bomb enemy gun positions which were harassing friendly ground troops. After verifying the location of the target, Maj. Loring rolled into his dive bomb run. Throughout the run, extremely accurate ground fire was directed on his aircraft. Disregarding the accuracy and intensity of the ground fire, Maj. Loring aggressively continued to press the attack until his aircraft was hit. At approximately 4,000 feet, he deliberately altered his course and aimed his diving aircraft at active gun emplacements concentrated on a ridge northwest of the briefed target, turned his aircraft 45 degrees to the left, pulled up in a deliberate, controlled manuever, and elected to sacrifice his life by diving his aircraft directly into the midst of the enemy emplacements. His selfless and heroic action completely destroyed the enemy gun emplacement and eliminated a dangerous threat to United Nations ground forces. Maj. Loring's noble spirit, superlative courage, and conspicuous self-sacrifice in inflicting maximum damage on the enemy exemplified valor of the highest degree, and his actions were in keeping with the finest traditions of the U.S. Air Force." Loring Air Force Base at Limestone, Maine, was named in his honor.