Richard Rohmer

Lieutenant-General Richard Rohmer was born in Hamilton, Ontario. He began his military career in 1936, serving with the ROTC (Reserve Officers Training Corps) at Eagle Rock High School in Pasadena, California.

General Rohmer served with the RCAF as a fighter-reconnaissance pilot during 1942–1945. He took part in the D-Day Operation, serving in France, Belgium and Holland and completing a 135-mission tour of operations in November 1944. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

On May 8, 1944, he had a conversation and confrontation with General George S. Patton, who was regarded by the Germans as the top Allied fighting general. AT 5:05pm on July 17, 1944 while leading a section of four Mustang fighter aircraft on a low-level reconnaissance, General Rohmer caught Field Marshal Rommel in his staff car southeast of Caen and called in Spitfires that shot up Rommel’s vehicle, seriously injuring the Field Marshal and taking him out of the Battle of Normandy. General Rohmer is the only combatant of World War Two who had contact with the top generals on both sides in Europe — Patton and Rommel. He also served in the Royal Canadian Naval Reserve during 1946–1948.

In 1950, during the Cold War, General Rohmer returned to the RCAF, flying Vampire fighter jets. He commanded 400 Squadron (City of Toronto) and 411 Squadron (County of York) during 1952–53. He retired in 1953 as a Wing Commander. In 1971 he again associated with the Canadian Armed Forces as Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel and later Honorary Colonel of 411 Air Reserve Squadron and flew as a line pilot.

During 1975–78 he served on the Canadian Military Colleges Advisory Board to the Minister of National Defence and on the sub-committee responsible for Royal Military College Affairs. In April 1975, he was promoted to Brigadier-General and appointed Senior Air Reserve Advisor to the Chief of the Defence Staff. On 1 April, 1976 he was appointed Commander of the newly formed Air Reserve Group in Air Command. On January 31, 1978 he was promoted to the rank of Major-General and appointed the first Chief of Reserves of the Canadian Armed Forces. He was then made a Commander of the Order of Military Merit in December 1978. He left the Armed forces in February 1981, but returned in 2014/15 as the Honorary Advisor to the Chief of the Defence Staff. On 26 June 2015 he was appointed the Honorary Lieutenant-General of the Canadian Armed Forces.

Author photograph credit: Ana Seara and Ann Rohmer, taken in 2024.