During my childhood, the memories of World War 2 were still vividly present in the national consciousness. My father, along with all three of my uncles, were World War 2 veterans, as were the fathers of many of my friends, some of whom had also served in the Korean War. Sadly, the number of these courageous men is dwindling.
Recently, that number has decreased by one more. The last surviving United States Navy fighter ace from World War 2 has passed on to join his fellow warriors. Donald McPherson, who piloted an F6F Hellcat and launched from the aircraft carrier USS Essex, achieved the distinguished status of “Ace” after downing five Japanese aircraft in aerial combat. His valor earned him a Congressional Gold Medal in 2015 and three Distinguished Flying Crosses. It was announced on Saturday that Donald McPherson passed away at the remarkable age of 103.
Donald McPherson, recognized as the nation’s final surviving “ace” pilot from World War II, has died at 103 years old in Nebraska.
While operating as a Navy fighter pilot flying F6F Hellcat aircraft from the USS Essex in the Pacific, McPherson successfully engaged and shot down five Japanese planes—the benchmark to be recognized as an “ace” pilot, as reported by The Associated Press.
The American Fighter Aces Association and the Fagen Fighters WWII Museum both acknowledged McPherson as the last living American ace pilot from the war, according to AP.
There are too few of these heroes left. And Donald McPherson was a hero:
His extraordinary contributions during World War II earned him a Congressional Gold Medal, which honors those who have significantly impacted U.S. history and culture, along with three Distinguished Flying Crosses, as reported by AP.
The F6F was a remarkable plane, as well. Earlier in the war, the Navy pilots struggled to match their Japanese counterparts with fighters like the F4F Wildcat and the F2A Buffalo, but with the advent of the F4U Corsair and the F6F Hellcat, the shoe was on the other foot.
