Donald McPherson served as a U.S. Navy pilot in the Pacific Theater during World War II and shot down five Japanese planes.

At the end of World War II, the United States had more than 1,000 pilots who were considered “aces” because they’d shot down five or more enemy planes. But now, the last American ace pilot of the conflict has died. Donald McPherson passed away at the age of 103 on August 14, 2025.

A U.S. Navy pilot who fought in the Pacific Theater, McPherson shot down five Japanese planes in the final months of World War II, earning him the Congressional Gold Medal and three Distinguished Flying Crosses. According to his family, however, McPherson wished to be remembered first for his faith, then his family, and finally his “service to his country.”

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