The Ultimate Sacrifice
Image size: 17" x 22"
Overall size: 22" X 25"
Price: $75 for the single print, $250 for the set of four
Artist signed and numbered in a limited edition of 450 plus 50 artist proofs
**If you are interested in purchasing a print, please contact us.**
About the painting
On August 18th, 1943, Maj. Ralph Cheli led a strike group in a strike against the Japanese airstrip at Dagua, New Guinea. Already fighting bad weather across the northern coast of New Guinea, Maj. Cheli's unit was attacked by roughly ten 59 Sentai Oscars. Soon thereafter, one of the fighters made a five o'clock pass at Cheli's B-25, ripping into the right engine with its fire. Maj. Cheli's wing burst into flames and he rapidly began losing power as black smoke poured from the engine nacelle and wing. Despite a severely damaged aircraft, Cheli continued leading his squadron across the target, dispersing his load of parafrag bombs as he went before finally turning away to fly out to sea where he ditched the flaming aircraft.
This painting depicts the moment that Maj. Cheli ordered Lt. Bill Pittman to take the lead position and then headed out to sea. Cheli was able to make successful ditching 2000 yards off the coast of Dagua, but only he, Sgt. Murphree and Sgt. Raymond C. Warren were able to climb out of the aircraft alive. Tragically, all three survivors died in Japanese captivity.