[DFG]

Navy Hellcat pilot

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

Nothing can top the opportunity those WW2 pilots got. A lot died but what an adventure they had.

[No name given]

Rest In Peace, Donald McPherson.

[Freedom4US]

How much you want to bet McPherson as letter carrier wasn’t stealing US Treasury checks from the mail, or Grandma’s annual red envelope Christmas cards to all her grandchildren with a $50 bill inside.

[Mr. Lucky]

Hand salute.

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Rest in peace, sir.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_World_War_II_aces_from_the_United_States

A very long list. And because they needed to have shot down three enemy aircraft (minimum) to become an ace, it shows the scale of the air war.

[Bobbyvotes]

I am very happy to read this ace pilot lived to age 103. That was the same age my mother lived to in relatively good health. She was very weak physically after age 99. I am trying very hard to make it to 103 but only if I can stay active till the end. Don’t want to live bedridden.

[freds6girlies]

bookmark

[Poser]

6560 Sorties in 4 months? That’s 54.67 sorties a day. I suspect this is not correct information.

[DCBryan1]

Good time to read a Freeper who has passed: John Dejanovich's book "Who's next!?"

Also flight journal magazine article called Wingman to the Aces, by John Dejanovich in 2012 Flight journal magazine

[Vaduz]

A man with honor gave it his all R.I.P. .

[norwaypinesavage]

RIP Donald

My FIL was an aircraft mechanic aboard the USS Corregidor during WWII. He was convinced that no one was controlling the Kamikazes at the end of their flight. They were already dead from the lead coming at them from the ships.

My FIL’s ‘daytime job’ was fixing airplanes, but his combat role was an Anti-aircraft artillery gunner on the side of the carrier. He was in a 4-man crew - a shooter, a loader, and two runners for fresh ammunition. They alternated roles. He has said, “With the advanced radar warning of the attack, everyone was ready when they came close.”

One time, he said, that a Kamikaze appeared to be coming right at his position. At the last second, “one of “the big guns from above the deck, knocked a wing off the airplane.” The plane rolled over, and the other wing hit the water, cartwheeling the entire airplane over the ship. He said he could feel the heat from the burning airplane as it flew over.

Fortunately, he survived, as my wife and grandkids can attest.