Fredric Champlin was born on October 30, 1918, in Oneida, New York. He enlisted in the U.S. Army on September 28, 1940, and served with the 209th Coast Artillery at Camp Stewart, Georgia, until entering the Aviation Cadet Program of the U.S. Army Air Forces on July 22, 1942. Champlin was commissioned a 2d Lt and awarded his pilot wings at Williams Field, Arizona, on April 12, 1943, and then completed P-38 Lightning transition training. His next assignment was as a P-38 pilot with the 431st Fighter Squadron of the 475th Fighter Group in the Pacific Theater from July 1943 to March 1945, where he was credited with the destruction of 9 enemy aircraft in aerial combat. After returning to the United States, Capt Champlin served as an instructor pilot before leaving active duty and going into the Air Force Reserve on November 14, 1945. He was recalled to active duty for the Korean War on August 29, 1950. He served as an F-94 Starfire pilot with the 2nd Fighter Squadron of the 52nd Fighter-All Weather Group at McGuire AFB, New Jersey, from August to December 1950, and then as an F-80 Shooting Star pilot with the 7th Fighter-Bomber Squadron of the 49th Fighter-Bomber Group in Korea from December 1950 to September 1951. His next assignment was as an F-86 Sabre pilot with the 75th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Presque Isle AFB, Maine, from September 1951 to January 1953, followed by service as an Operations Staff Officer and then Commander of the 517th Air Base Squadron at Ethan Allen AFB, Vermont, from February 1953 to August 1955. Maj Champlin served as Commander of the 14th Air Base Squadron at Ethan Allen AFB from August 1955 to November 1957, and then as a Special Project Officer with the 14th Fighter Group at Ethan Allen from November to December 1957. He next attended Spanish Language training at the Foreign Service Institute in Arlington, Virginia, from January to July 1958, followed by service as an Advisor to the Ecuadorian Air Force in Quito, Ecuador, from July 1958 to July 1960. After attending the Weapons Controller Course at Tyndall AFB, Florida, he served as a Weapons Director Staff Officer with the Minot Air Defense Sector at Minot AFB, North Dakota, from December 1960 to March 1961, and then as a Senior Director and then Chief of Military Training with the 4630th Support Squadron at Minot from March 1961 to November 1962. His next assignment was as Commander of the 923rd Air Control and Warning Squadron at Goose Bay AFB, Labrador, Canada, from December 1962 to July 1963, followed by service as Chief of the Officer Records Division, as a Weapons Director Staff Officer, as Chief of the Programs and Guidance Branch, as an Operations Staff Officer, and finally as Base Utilization Project Officer with Headquarters Air Defense Command at Ent AFB, Colorado, from August 1963 to May 1967. LtCol Champlin served as an Operations Staff Officer with the 1141st Air Force Special Activity Squadron at Vaihingen, West Germany, from May 1967 to May 1970, and then as Commander of the 620th Tactical Control Squadron at DaNang AB, South Vietnam, from June 1970 to May 1971. His next assignment was as Assistant Director of Operations and then Commander of the 507th Tactical Control Group at Shaw AFB, South Carolina, from June 1971 to May 1973, followed by service as Chief of the Plans Division with the 507th Tactical Control Group at Shaw AFB from May 1973 until his retirement from the Air Force on September 1, 1974. Fredric Champlin died on March 7, 1995, and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

His 2nd (of 3) Distinguished Flying Cross Citation reads:

For extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight over Leyte Gulf, Philippine Islands, on 12 November 1944. Captain Champlin, leading a flight of four P-38 aircraft on patrol over a naval force in the gulf, contacted an enemy bomber which was approaching escorted by two fighters. He turned into the hostile formation, drove the fighters away and, with a short burst, sent the bomber crashing into the sea in flames. As the two remaining enemy airplanes attempted to attack his flight, he maneuvered into position for a frontal attack, pursued one of the fighters into a dive, and, scoring several hits, caused it to burst into flames. The outstanding courage and devotion to duty displayed by Captain Champlin are worthy of the highest commendation.