Jerry Yellin

Birthplace: New Jersey

Branch of Service: Army Air Corps

Unit: 78th Fighter Squardron

Theater of Operation: Pacific

Honored By: The Eisenhower Foundation

Jerry Yellin remembers the Great Depression and how hard it was to make a living. His family moved every October 1st because you were allowed 3 months free rent annually when moving at this time of the year.

Yellin was working at a steel mill, saving money to attend college when the attack on Pearl Harbor happened. That action caused him to enlist, and he wanted to become a fighter pilot.

Not having attended college, he had to pass an academic test and a physical test. He passed the academic test but failed the physical, and one eye was 20/30. Jerry memorized the eye chart, went back, and passed. After training, a few days before graduation, he had another eye exam. The eye chart was changed, and he failed. By going to see the Corporal, he was granted permission to graduate and become a fighter pilot.

He was stationed in Hawaii and was selected as one of 5 out of 40 graduates to continue fighter pilot training. Jerry was stationed in the South Pacific with the 78th Fighter Squadron.

Courtesy of the American Veteran Center.