BNW

Did you know the U.S. Navy reportedly keeps a fallen WWII pilot on its active duty roster and carries his actual skull into combat? The legend dates back to April 1, 1945, when, during the bloody invasion of Okinawa, an F4U Corsair flown by Ensign Jack Ernie received a mortal hit. Even as his Corsair fell apart, Ernie managed to splash one final Zero before entering an unrecoverable dive. Just before plunging into the Pacific, his iconic final words over the radio were reportedly: "Skipper, I can't get out! Remember me with the Jolly Rogers!" 1/2

According to the legend, Ernie's remains were later recovered and, with his family's consent, his skull and femur bones were encased in glass and presented to the squadron. Today, "Jack Ernie" travels with the Jolly Rogers on deployment and remains permanently listed on the squadron's active duty roster. Fact or naval aviation folklore, the story has become part of the Jolly Rogers' DNA. Some legends don't die. They deploy 😉 2/2