ROCHELLE — Major Thomas F. Koritz of the United States Air Force was born and raised in Rochelle. 

Koritz played football and was part of the National Honor Society at Rochelle Township High School, where he graduated from in 1971. He graduated from the University of Illinois with a bachelor's degree in science in 1975 and went on to attend the U of I College of Medicine in Rockford and graduated in 1979. He did a one-year medical residency in the Quad Cities. 

Koritz always had a desire to fly jets. He decided at the age of 26 to apply for and attend Air Force officer candidate school in San Antonio, Texas before starting undergraduate pilot training at Columbus Air Force Base in Mississippi. He started out flying T-37s and progressed to T-38s and that training lasted about a year. 

Koritz graduated first in his class, which meant he was given the opportunity to choose his aircraft. He chose the F-15, which was top of the line at the time. Next came Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico for two months of more detailed fighter jet training. After another 5-6 month F-15 training course at Luke Air Force Base near Phoenix, Arizona, Koritz was assigned to the 94th Squadron at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia around 1981-1982.

At that point, Koritz started flying as a pilot and was not using his medical degree in the military. After three years in the 94th, the Air Force approached him about a special pilot-physician program. Koritz became the pilot physician for the F-15. He spent two more years at Langley in the 27th Squadron. 

He then went to San Antonio, Texas and did a medical residency in aerospace medicine for two years. Around 1989-1990, the Air Force came out with air-to-ground F-15s and wanted to put Koritz in that weapons system to explore the user interface. He went to Luke AFB again for F-15 air-to-ground and he was assigned to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina in the 334th Squadron. He spent a year in North Carolina. 

Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990 prompted a building up of military assets by the U.S. and its NATO coalition forces. Koritz’ F-15 was shot down over Basra, Iraq on Jan. 17, 1991 during the Persian Gulf War on a mission to bomb a refinery. He and his partner were hit by anti-aircraft artillery and didn’t survive. He was listed as missing in action until March 15 of that year.

“The Iraqis returned his remains to coalition forces once the ceasefire took place,” Koritz’ brother, Tim, said. “His remains were flown to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware and his identity was confirmed. I was active at the time in the Air Force at Holloman Air Force Base as a flight surgeon and I accompanied my brother's remains home. Then we had his funeral. He’s buried in Lawnridge Cemetery. They had a fly by at his funeral by four F-15Es in the missing man formation. The Honor Guard from an Illinois Air Force base attended.”

Tim Koritz said he believes the reason his brother chose to enlist in the Air Force after medical school was his love for aviation. When Tim and Tom were little, they were both fascinated by flight. Every time a plane would fly over, they would look up. Tom Koritz got familiar with flying at the Rochelle Municipal Airport and obtained his private pilot’s license at U of I. 

Tim Koritz remembers his older brother as a motivated man of the people.

“He was my best friend,” Tim Koritz said. “I was his kid brother. I always wanted to do whatever he was doing. He protected me and took me under his wing. He was a very decent person. He was very honest, and he was everyone’s friend. He respected people and treated everybody well. He was highly motivated to be able to do both of the things he did in obtaining a medical degree and flying an F-15. F-15 pilots were the cream of the crop at the time, probably the top 10 percent. He was highly respected.”

Military service runs in the Koritz family. Tom and Tim’s father served in the Navy in World War II. Tom’s son, Jon, is a full-time Air National Guard pilot. Tim Koritz said service came naturally to them. 

“I believe that part of being a citizen in the greatest country in the world is a responsibility to protect and defend the U.S,” Tim Koritz said. “We’re happy and proud to serve in my family. My brother paid the ultimate price. That has to be respected. It was painful for us when it happened. But we understood he was doing what he wanted to do. And it was an important mission for humanity, to combat atrocious behavior and aggression by Iraq. There's sacrifices that have to be made.”

After Tom’s passing, the Rochelle Municipal Airport was renamed Koritz Field in his honor on July 4, 1991.

“Collectively, the people of Rochelle have been fantastic about supporting our family and appreciating what Tom did,” Tim Koritz said. “There's a statue plaque at the airport dedicated to him. He has a display at City Hall. Everyone has been supportive and appreciative. I think people are proud to have had a kid from their town become an American Hero.”

Honoring Our American Hero is a series that prints twice a month in the News-Leader. If you know an American Hero you would like to have featured, contact Jeff Helfrich at jhelfrich@rochellenews-leader.com or call 815-561-2151.