Donald McPherson, a World War II Navy fighter pilot from Nebraska and believed to be the last surviving American “ace” of the war, has died at the age of 103.
McPherson earned the rare title of “ace” by shooting down five enemy aircraft during his service in the Pacific theater. He flew F6F Hellcat fighters from the deck of the USS Essex as a member of Navy fighter squadron VF-83, engaging Japanese forces in the final years of the war. His valor in combat earned him the Congressional Gold Medal and three Distinguished Flying Crosses, according to the Associated Press.
Despite the military honors, his daughter Beth Delabar said her father would rather be remembered for his commitment to faith, family, and service to his community. “It hasn’t been until these later years that he’s received so much recognition,” she told the Beatrice Daily Sun.
The American Fighter Aces Association and the Fagen Fighters WWII Museum recently recognized McPherson as the last known surviving U.S. ace pilot of the war. He was honored at a museum event in Minnesota just last weekend.
In one of his most notable combat missions, McPherson recalled spotting two enemy planes flying low over the water. He engaged them, shooting one into the ocean and destroying the other mid-air. A bullet hole discovered just a foot behind his seat upon his return to the carrier made the moment even more poignant. His daughter Donna Mulder said those near-death experiences deepened his sense of spiritual purpose. “Maybe God is not done with me,” he once told her.
After the war, McPherson returned to his hometown of Adams, Nebraska, and devoted himself to building community. He helped start youth baseball and softball leagues, served as a Scoutmaster, and held leadership roles in the Adams United Methodist Church, American Legion, and Veterans of Foreign Wars.
In recognition of their contributions, the town named its ballfield McPherson Field in honor of Donald and his wife, Thelma, who supported every game by keeping score and running the concession stand.