“JERRY’S LAST MISSION" is set for release on Apple TV and iTunes on December 4th courtesy Utopia Distribution, a feature documentary about New Jersey World War II fighter pilot Jerry Yellin who flew the last combat mission over Japan.
Directed by Louisa Merino (“Managing to Win: The Story of Strat-O-Matic Baseball”) and Produced by Melissa Hibbard (“The Glass House”) and Oscar winner Ed Cunningham (“Undefeated,” “The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters”), ”JERRY’S LAST MISSION” tells the story of how a veteran of WWII’s last air battle became a lifelong testament of the human spirit.
On August 14, 1945, fighter pilot Jerry Yellin flew the last combat mission of World War II to attack airfields near Nagoya, Japan, carrying with his instructions to continue the assault unless he heard the word “Utah,” a code signaling the Japanese surrender, which never came. It was Yellin’s 19th mission over Japan.
Yellin returned home to a dark life of survivor's guilt and daily thoughts of suicide. Married with four sons, Yellin was forced to face his enemy once again when his youngest son moved to Japan and married the daughter of a Kamikaze pilot. Through deep agonizing soul-searching reflection, the two fathers eventually open their hearts and their arms to each other.
By the time of his passing in 2017, Yellin had become an outspoken advocate for veteran mental health and co-founded Operation Warrior Wellness, a division of the David Lynch Foundation that teaches veterans TM to better cope with the effects of PTSD.
Producer Ed Cunningham says: "Jerry's journey from the depths of post-war depression to his late-life transformation, which included him tirelessly advocating for peace and Veteran's care, will inspire and resonate with everyone who sees this film. Add in the unbelievable twist of his son marrying a Kamikaze pilot's daughter and the friendship the two fathers developed late in their lives, and this is a story we felt had to be shared."
To coincide with the documentary release of “JERRY’S LAST MISSION”, Amir Lear Press has re-released Jerry Yellin’s autobiography of the same title. Jerry Yellin’s book is a mesmerizing account of his life and war experiences, his evolution from warrior to peace advocate. Its message is universal: All humanity shares a connection.