[2] With his long hair and football jersey, "Kid" Hofer stands out as one of the most memorable characters in the Eighth Air Force.

After serving in the Royal Canadian Air Force, Hofer transferred to the 4th Fighter Group in September 1943 and promptly destroyed a Bf 109 on his first mission.

Hofer was known for not maintaining radio discipline, and incurred the wrath of group commander Colonel Don Blakeslee on more than one occasion.

Hofer was also one of the top strafers in the Eighth Air Force with 14 confirmed enemy aircraft destroyed on the ground.

Luftwaffe records show he was brought down by anti-aircraft fire (flak) while strafing a German fighter base at Mostar Sud airfield in then-Yugoslavia (now Bosnia-Herzegovina) [citation needed] some 500 kilometers away from the aerial battle .