Fritz E. Wolf was born on February 8, 1916 in Shawano, Wisconsin. After graduating from Shawano High School, Wolf attended Carroll College in Waukesha, Wisconsin, graduating in 1938 with a degree in business administration. In 1939, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and went through flight training school. Wolf completed flight training in 1940, was commissioned as an ensign, and was assigned to the U.S.S. Saratoga as a dive bomber pilot.
In 1941, Wolf resigned his commission with the Navy and joined the newly organized American Volunteer Group in China, commonly referred to as the Flying Tigers. The organization was created under executive order to recruit American military pilots to fly against Japanese military aircraft operating in China. Wolf was part of the first group to arrive in Burma, and served with the group until being discharged on July 4, 1942.
After returning to Shawano for a brief time, Wolf reenlisted in the Navy with the rank of lieutenant and was assigned as a flight instructor at Jacksonville Naval Air Station. He was later selected to be the leader of a group of replacement pilots, and was transferred to the USS Hornet as part squadron VF-11. After flying several missions, Wolf was made commander of VBF-3 and transferred to the USS Yorktown in February 1945. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for leading the first carrier based attack on the Japanese mainland on February 16, 1945. Wolf later served as executive officer at the Naval Auxiliary Air Station at Brown Field in Chula Vista, California, before resigning from active service in 1946. He continued to serve in the Naval Reserve until officially leaving military service in 1967.
Wolf returned to Wisconsin after leaving active service and began work with the Wisconsin State Aeronautics Commission. He worked with the organization for thirty-five years, eventually retiring in 1981 as bureau director.
