When I was young, World War 2 was still very fresh in the national memory. My Dad was a World War 2 veteran, as were all three of my uncles. Most of my friends’ fathers were either World War 2 or Korean War veterans – sometimes both. But there are very few of those brave men left.

Now, there’s one less. The last United States Navy fighter ace from World War 2 has gone to join his comrades. Donald McPherson, an F6F Hellcat pilot who flew off the aircraft carrier USS Essex, shot down five Japanese aircraft in air-to-air combat, earning him the title of “Ace” along with a Congressional Gold Medal (awarded in 2015) and three Distinguished Flying Crosses. On Saturday, news was released that Donald McPherson has passed away at the age of 103.

Donald McPherson, a World War II veteran considered the nation’s last surviving “ace” pilot from the conflict, has died at the age of 103 in Nebraska.

While serving as a Navy fighter pilot of F6F Hellcat fighters aboard the USS Essex in the Pacific theater, McPherson shot down five Japanese planes — the minimum number required to be considered an “ace” pilot, The Associated Press reported.

Both the American Fighter Aces Association and the Fagen Fighters WWII Museum have recognized McPherson as the last surviving American ace pilot from the war, according to AP.

There are too few of these heroes left. And Donald McPherson was a hero:

His service during World War II earned him the Congressional Gold Medal — awarded to those who have made a significant impact on U.S. history and culture — as well as three Distinguished Flying Crosses, according to AP.

The F6F was a remarkable plane, as well. Earlier in the war, the Navy pilots struggled to match their Japanese counterparts with fighters like the F4F Wildcat and the F2A Buffalo, but with the advent of the F4U Corsair and the F6F Hellcat, the shoe was on the other foot.