Perry John Dahl (18 February 1923 – 2 December 2024) was a United States Air Force colonel and a flying ace, who was credited in destroying nine enemy aircraft in aerial combat during World War II.

Flying in his first mission on 9 November 1943, and piloting a P-38 Lightning while escorting A-20 Havocs and B-25 Mitchells on a strike against a Japanese airfield in Alexishafen, Dahl scored his first aerial victory when he shot down a Mitsubishi A6M "Zero".

Due to bad weather, he was forced to turn back from the mission and was diverted to an airfield in Cape Gloucester; while Dahl was landing his P-38, he collided with a B-24 Liberator on the runway.

On 3 April, during a mission over Hollandia, Dutch East Indies, he shot down a Zero and a Nakajima Ki-43 "Oscar", bringing his total to five aerial victories and thus earning for himself the title of flying ace.

During an escort of bombers which were attacking a Japanese naval convoy off the coast of French Indochina on 28 March 1945, Dahl shot down a Mitsubishi A6M3-32 "Hamp": his ninth, and final, aerial victory.

In his second tour of duty during the Vietnam War, he was assigned to Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base where he served as commander of the 56th Special Operations Wing from July 1974 to April 1975.

[2] SOURCE: 475th Fighter Group Historical Foundation The Planes of Fame Museum in Chino, California, restored a P-38 and applied it with painting and decals of Dahl's P-38 "Skidoo".

[9] In 2015, he along with other flying aces received the Congressional Gold Medal, in recognition of "their heroic military service and defense of the country's freedom throughout the history of aviation warfare".

He circled the vessels at a dangerously low altitude, made observations at the risk of being hit by accurate anti-aircraft fire, and reported the position of the convoy to the B-25's.

The outstanding leadership, courage and flying skill displayed by Captain Dahl during this flight represent the highest type of service to be rendered to the United States Army Air Forces.