CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) RESOURCE CENTER Read More
Add To Favorites

Holcomb names I-865 after entrepreneur, decorated veteran

The Lebanon Reporter - 10/12/2017

Oct. 12--Tuesday Governor Eric J. Holcomb signed an executive order naming Interstate 865 after Fred M. Fehsenfeld, Sr. in recognition of his service and contributions to the State of Indiana and the nation as an entrepreneur, decorated military veteran, and community leader.

Interstate 865 is the east-west connector between I-65 and I-465 in southern Boone County. The Indiana Department of Transportation has marked the highway with signage designating it the "Fred M. Fehsenfeld, Sr. Highway."

Holcomb said that throughout his life Fehsenfeld "has supported innovations in the energy field, including establishing the Fehsenfeld Family Head of Environmental & Ecological Engineering and the Purdue Energy Fund at his alma mater, Purdue University."

Fehsenfeld is a lifelong Hoosier and founder of The Heritage Group in Indianapolis, which is involved in energy sales and marketing, environmental services, chemical refining, and more worldwide.

He enlisted in the Army Air Corps at 18 and served in World War II, flying in 86 missions in Europe while assigned to the 354th Fighter Group. According to barnstormers.com, Fehsenfeld came within one kill of becoming an ace, shooting down three FW-190 fighters and one Ju-188 medium bomber, as well as destroying three FW-190s on the ground. He was awarded the Air Medal with three Silver Oak Leaf Clusters and the Silver Star. After the war he served in the Indiana Air National Guard.

Fehsenfeld graduated Purdue University in 1948, then joined the family business. A profile of him published in Asphalt: The Magazine of the Asphalt Institute noted his work in innovating the delivery of asphalt materials, creating new methods of paving roads, and establishing The Heritage Group as a research vehicle into pavement technology.

___

(c)2017 The Lebanon Reporter (Lebanon, Ind.)

Visit The Lebanon Reporter (Lebanon, Ind.) at www.reporter.net

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.