Last Surviving WWII Ace Pilot Passes Away

Donald McPherson, America’s final surviving World War II ace pilot, died at his Nebraska residence on August 14, as reported by Beatrice Daily Sun.

He was 103 years old. McPherson had an impressive military career, shooting down five Japanese aircraft while piloting an F6F Hellcat with squadron VF-83 aboard the USS Essex in the Pacific theater. This achievement earned him recognition from the American Fighter Ace Association and the Fagen Fighters World War II Museum, which named him an ultimate ace of the conflict.

During his service, McPherson was honored with the Congressional Gold Medal and received three distinguished flight crosses, as NBC News noted. Recently, he was celebrated at a World War II Museum event in Minnesota.

McPherson enlisted at just 18 in 1942 and tied the knot with Thelma in 1944, shortly after finishing his flight training. In one memorable mission, he spotted two Japanese planes skimming low over the water. Utilizing his Hellcat, he took down the first aircraft and then performed aerial maneuvers to engage the second.

“With full throttle, my Hellcat responded well, squeezed the trigger and exploded,” he recalled in a video from a museum. “Then I turned around and did a lot of violent maneuvering to try and get out of there without being shot down.”

His daughter, Donna Mulder, shared a story about a bullet hole found just behind his seat, which led her father to reflect on his narrow escapes, suggesting he felt, “probably God is not with me.”

After the war, McPherson returned to his hometown of Adams, Nebraska, where he contributed significantly to the community by founding a youth baseball and softball league, serving as a scout master, and taking on leadership roles in the Adams United Methodist Church. To honor him and his wife, the town named its ballfield MacPherson Field.

“When it’s all done and Dad lists things he wants to be remembered for, the first thing is that he’s a man of faith,” his daughter Beth DeLaval stated.