A story that began in Peekskill and ended in the air will be remembered on April 26 at Assumption Church. The program, organized by the Peekskill Museum, will focus on the life and career of John Fisher, a local pilot whose last mission was part of a high-risk military experiment over enemy territory, in the midst of one of the most unusual operations of the Second World War.
The 1LT John Fisher Story will begin at 2 p.m. at the church located at 131 Union Ave. Attendees will then move to the Peekskill Museum to view an exhibit of artifacts connected to the aerial mission in which the lieutenant participated and that were recovered from the crash site.
The center of the event is Fisher, who served as a pilot during the war. In 1944, he took part in a classified operation that used modified bombers loaded with explosives and directed toward strategic targets. The plan required precision and composure: the pilot was to guide the aircraft to a designated point and then parachute out, while the plane continued its course under remote control. It was an experimental tactic. The margin for error had to be minimal.
Fisher’s final mission did not follow the plan. Available records indicate that something failed before he could leave the aircraft. He did not survive. He was 23 years old. For decades, operations like this remained outside the public narrative or were absorbed into the broader history of the war. Today, they have begun to be reconstructed in greater detail.
In June 2024, Cotswold Archaeology, a United Kingdom organization dedicated to the investigation and recovery of historical sites, identified new findings related to Fisher and the covert mission known as Operation Aphrodite. In a publication, the organization explained that the pilot was among the first to die during missions in that program, which was designed to use bombers as guided weapons against German strategic targets.
According to Cotswold Archaeology, the aircraft were modified and loaded with explosives. During flight, they were to be abandoned by their pilots and then guided remotely. Fisher sacrificed himself. He ensured the evacuation of his co-pilot.
Registration for the talk presented by the Peekskill Museum is free, although donations are suggested. Advance registration is required. Attendees are expected to include residents, local historians, and individuals connected, directly or indirectly, to the story. Refreshments will be served following the program.
