Born in El Dorado, Kansas June 13, 1919. Commissioned as a 2nd Lt and awarded pilots wings on July 11, 1941. First active duty assignment was with the 31st Fighter Group, Selfridge Field Michigan flying P-39's. Participated in the Louisiana Maneuvers flying from Ft. Brag and New Orleans, Louisiana. The 31st was moved to several locations immediately following December 7th, 1941. They eventually ended up flying submarine patrols off the coast of Washington in both P-39's and P-40's.

The 31st was moved to England in June of 1942 where they were equipped with Spitfire Mk-V's and were the first U.S. unit to fly aerial combat in the European Theater.

1st Lt Barr was selected to help form the 350th Fighter Group in England. The 350th was equipped with P-39/400's. Lt Barr was the Operations Officer for the 345th Fighter Squadron of the 350th.

The 350th was to move to North Africa in December of 1942. Lt Barr led a flight of 4 P-400's guided by a B-25. The flight encountered bad weather and the fighters ran low on fuel and diverted to Lisbon, Portugal where their planes were impounded and they were held as prisoners of war.

Lt Barr was released from Portugal and returned to the 31st Fighter Group, 309th Fighter Squadron in May of 1943. He remained with the 31st Fighter Group through the campaigns in North Africa into Sicily and Italy.

He returned to the United States in February 1944 as the 31st was transitioning from Spitfire Mk-IX's to P-51's.

Capt Barr served out the remainder of the war as a P-47 Instructor Pilot at Strother Field Kansas.