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The Last Fighter Pilot: An Account of the Final Combat Mission of World War Two
Captain Jerry Yellin flew the last combat mission of WWII on the morning of August 15, 1945, out of Iwo Jima.
Guest Post By History on the Net
The following is an account of Captain Jerry Yellin, who flew the last combat mission of WWII on the morning of August 15, 1945, out of Iwo Jima. From April to August 1945, Yellin and a small group of fellow fighter pilots flew dangerous bombing and strafe missions over Japan. Even days after America dropped the atomic bombs—on Hiroshima on August 6 and Nagasaki on August 9—the pilots continued to fly. Though Japan had suffered unimaginable devastation, the emperor still refused to surrender.
A full account of Yellin’s war-time experience can be found in the book The Last Fighter Pilot: The True Story of the Final Combat Mission of World War II.
The P-51s’ mission that day started out well.
Cruising above the Pacific under the morning sun, the Americans had approached the Japanese coastline without incident. Jerry wondered how many more missions like this he would have to fly. They’d all thought the war was over, but now, here he was again, heading to strike a stubbornly resistant enemy.
But down below, in the nation they were about to attack, a philosophical battle was raging on whether to surrender or fight on. The “Big Six”—the six military officers running Japan—had been split by a vote of 3-3 on when and how to end the war with honor. In general, hard, passionate divisions of opinion existed among the Japanese military: some of the older officers wanted to surrender to prevent the destruction of Japan, while
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4 thoughts on “The Last Fighter Pilot: An Account of the Final Combat Mission of World War Two”
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I’m pretty sure that B-29’s didn’t “strafe” Japan. And why would you drop “eternal” fuel tanks? Those sound very useful.
The original definition of “Straf” comes from the German meaning to punish or penalize. So in that usage the author was correct. It is only the Allied forces that added the “low flying” definition.
Very good article, thanks for sharing it.
No, B-29s did not strafe…..the more manuverable fighters did, just as in Europe and elsewhere in the Pacific.
I’m sure the “eternal” tanks were a typo………”external” was intended.
No one wants to be the last casualty of any war. I’m sure that Phil’s death was keenly felt by Jerry after knowing that the war had just ended and they didn’t get the word.
Near the end of the Civil War, with the Union Army of the Potomac hot on the heels of Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, Gen. A.P. Hill was killed by Union soldiers. This man, like so many others, had survived many battles only to die when all knew the war was lost. He was killed not far from a home where his wife and two daughters were living. A week later Lee surrendered at Appomattox. Another tragic death from war.
There is some debate over the last combat casualty in WWII, most historians agree it was Sgt. Anthony Marchione. Marchione was flying in an Army Air Force B-32 Dominator bomber aircraft on Aug. 18 with a mission to take reconnaissance photos and ensure Japan was following the cease fire.
The two B-32’s were shot at by anti-aircraft and enemy aircraft fire soon after they got over Tokyo, and three airmen were wounded, including Marchione. Sgt. Anthony Marchione succumbed to his wounds.