'All war is stupid... I survived it'

Ralph Rosen was 22, studying law at the University of Chicago when the Japanese Imperial Navy attacked Pearl Harbor. "Like so many kids of the day, we were avoiding the draft as best we could," he said.

That all changed, though, on December 7, 1941. The surprise event killed about 2,400 Americans and changed many minds about whether the country should engage in the global conflict. For Rosen, it meant leaving the path to becoming an attorney to adopt a course that saw him become an ace fighter pilot.

"I dropped out of college and joined the navy," said Rosen. He already had his pilot's license, and he wanted to put those skills to use by becoming an aircraft-based fighter pilot. "I got just what I wanted."

He married his sweetheart, Joan McMahon, and joined the Naval Aviation Cadet program. Soon he was in a F6F "Hellcat" plane taking off from aircraft carriers throughout the Pacific theater.

The plane, manufactured by Grumman, might well be the reason why Rosen survived his eight-month tour. Early Allied fighters, flying in F4F "Wildcat" planes, found difficulty matching up against the lighter and highly maneuverable A6M Zero planes, manufactured by Mitsubishi and flying for the Japanese Imperial Navy.

By 1943, when Rosen had received his commission and was beginning his tour, the F6F had already begun service. The Hellcats could still be out-maneuvered by a Zero, but their improved ability to absorb bullets and keep flying gave Allied pilots a profound advantage. It often took only a single stream of rounds from the Hellcat's .50-caliber machine guns to down a Zero, but not so with the Hellcat, which unlike the Zero was heavily armored and featured a self-sealing fuel tank.

Rosen put the durability of his plane to the test on October 12, 1944. That date saw a dogfight over Formosa involving dozens of fighters. His squadron alone shot down 40 confirmed and 20 probable Japanese planes. Rosen often found himself at the center of the fight, and not in a good way. By the time it was over, his Hellcat was badly damaged. "No radio, no flaps, no hooks. I flew back 200 miles with just my magnetic compass." When he landed, the plane was so far gone that the crew pushed it over the side. However, before they could, one sailor counted 130 bullet holes in the plane. "And he only counted on one side!"

"It was a remarkable piece of equipment. There was no plane that could absorb as much punishment... That plane produced more aces and shot down more planes than any other U.S. plane."

In aviation combat terminology, an "ace" is someone who has shot down five or more enemy aircraft. Rosen has six aerial victories on record, with one more listed as probable. However, he says that number is really at least nine. For example, if a plane he was shooting at burst into flames and started a spiral straight downward spiral, disappearing into clouds, that would not be counted as a "confirmed" victory.

However, Rosen is happy that he was able to count enough aerial victories to achieve the status of ace. His favorite victories, he said, were when he was able to destroy a plane that was firing upon one of his squadron mates. And because of the relative strengths and weaknesses of the fighters involved, that happened often.

Due to the superior maneuverability of the Zero, it was nearly impossible for the pilot to shake it off once it was on a Hellcat's tail. To counter this, Allied pilots developed a tactic where they would fly in pairs, one parallel the other with a good distance in between. If a Zero began attacking the tail of one of them, they'd turn toward one another, thereby drawing the Zero within the firing line of the other Hellcat.

"Two F6Fs against two Zeros, could whip them if the pilots knew what they were doing. One F6F against one Zero was dead meat," said Rosen.

Rosen's squadron was called upon to assist ground forces as well, and those missions don't sit as well in his memories. He recalls one such flight, in which he was strafing Japanese soldiers who were fleeing in trucks. One soldier dropped his hat, jumped off the truck to collect it and found himself catching a stream of bullets from Rosen's plane.

"All war is stupid, basically," he said. "It's not a smart way to live, but apparently mankind has used war to settle disputes since before recorded history, and I don't know if we can do much about it. It's a stupid process."

He received a Purple Heart during his service, when a bullet entered his cockpit and went through his calf. He hardly feels that he earned the medal, though, especially compared to some of the injuries suffered by others who were awarded it. "Treatment consisted of a band-aid, and I was flying two days later."

After the end of his squadron's tour, ten volunteers from the squadron volunteered to re-enlist. They went through training again, but the war ended just days before they were due to ship back out.

Although he doesn't have fond feelings for the actions of war, he stands by his part of it. "I feel that the country was threatened and I tried to do my part for my country. I would do that again. I was fighting for America and all other Americans." Yet he added, "As a principle, that we have to go to war and destroy each other's lives to settle disputes, is unfortunate."

Rosen stayed in the navy, and didn't retire from the service until 1973. Life didn't get any less dangerous for him after World War II, as Rosen served as a test pilot for the navy's development of jet engines. He was as fortunate in his career as a test pilot as he was during the war, and said he found that work more interesting and less wearing than the time he spent in the Pentagon administration. Eventually rising to the rank of captain, he also served in diplomatic tours in Ankara, Turkey and Barcelona, Spain.

He and Joan have lived in Laconia since 1975. They have three children, six grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and one more on the way. Rosen served in the N.H. House of Representatives for eight terms, what he calls "an interesting experience." The couple now lives in the Taylor Community.

Looking back, he acknowledges that he's held two of the most dangerous positions — WWII fighter pilot and test pilot — that exist in the modern world. However, at 89, he doesn't question the choice he made as a younger man. "You don't think about the danger involved, you think about what you want to do and try to get what you want." He said it's partly "ego" that allowed him to approach his assignments in spite of the inherent risks. "Don't forget that everyone feels they are somewhat protected. You think that you're special and you can beat the odds and once in a while, you can."

After leaving the navy he taught math at Laconia High School, and taught math and physics at Gilford High School. Even so, he takes an unconventional approach to probabilities, especially when it comes to his personal well-being. "It might be 10 to 1 that you're going to get killed, but each day, you're either going to get killed or not killed, and that's one on one... I survived it."