Duerr Schuh was born on December 25, 1916, in Douglas, Wyoming. He enlisted in the Aviation Cadet Program of the U.S. Army Air Forces on January 16, 1942, and was commissioned a 2d Lt and awarded his pilot wings at Brooks Field, Texas, on November 10, 1942. His first assignment was as a flight instructor at Key Field, Mississippi, from November 1942 to January 1944, followed by fighter transition training and P-51 Mustang training from January to June 1944. Lt Schuh joined the 487th Fighter Squadron of the 352nd Fighter Group in England in July 1944, and was credited with the destruction of 5 enemy aircraft in aerial combat between September and December 1944. He returned to the U.S. in April 1945, and served as an instrument flight instructor until leaving active duty on January 11, 1947. Col Schuh remained in the Air Force Reserve, serving as an interceptor pilot and squadron commander with Air Defense Command until retiring on February 1, 1968. Duerr Schuh died on September 22, 2003.

His Distinguished Flying Cross Citation reads:

For extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight over Germany, 26 December 1944. On this date, Captain Schuh was operating with a Flight of four P-51 fighters when they observed three waves of approximately thirty (30) ME-109's. Completely ignoring the enemy's preponderant numerical advantage, he attacked, with his wingman, the rear echelon of ten (10) aircraft. During the bitterly contested battle, he destroyed two (2) enemy fighters and then flew cover while his wingman shot a third plane. In supporting his wingman, Captain Schuh necessarily placed himself in a precarious tactical position and four (4) ME-109's positioned on the tail of his aircraft. Taking skillful evasive action, he executed a brilliant maneuver and reversed positions with the enemy. Then, with cool deliberation, he destroyed one (1) ME-109 before withdrawing with a defective radio and only one (1) gun operational. Captain Schuh's actions during this engagement are a fine example of his assiduous adherence to duty, resourcefulness, and professional skill.