World War II Honoree

Philip M. Rasmussen

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Boston, Massachusetts

Honored By

Pearl Thomas

He was assigned to the 46th Pursuit Squadron at Wheeler Field on the island of Oahu. On the morning of December 7, 1941, he was in bed in his barracks and looked out to see enemy aircraft dropping bombs nearby. As a pilot, he strapped his pistol over the top his pajamas and ran out in search of a plane. Despite most of the aircraft being destroyed, he was able to load a Curtiss P-36A Hawk with ammunition. He and three other pilots engaged 11 Japanese aircraft and he shot down one. His aircraft was badly damaged and received over 500 bullet holes. He received a Silver Star for his actions and flew many later combat missions, including a bombing mission over Japan that earned him an oak leaf cluster to his Silver Star. A WW II exhibit at the National Museum of the US Air Force features him in his pajamas climbing into his P-36A, titled "The Pajama Pilot".