KEY WEST, Fla. – John A. McSherry passed away at his home in the Keys on March 30, 2023.

John was born in Fryeburg to Thomas and Dorothy McSherry on Jan. 28, 1944. He grew up and was educated in Fryeburg, and graduated from Fryeburg Academy in 1963. John was a varsity member of the football, baseball and ski teams (captain 1962-’63). He won the gold medal at the State Meet in ski jumping and participated in student council, one-act plays, the senior drama, as well as the Latin and French Clubs. He was a graduate of Nassan College and served as captain of the ski team while winning the NCAA Division 2 Championship. In 2022 John was inducted into the Fryeburg Academy Hall of Excellence.

After college, John volunteered for active duty and began a very exciting and distinguished naval career during the Vietnam War from 1966-1971. He was a naval aviator flying the F8 Crusader, the most challenging carrier-based interceptor of its era, often under very difficult conditions in part because F-8s flew on the Navy’s oldest (renovated WW2 vintage) and smallest aircraft carriers, as they were light enough to fly from ships of this size.

After he received his wings, he went on to the Naval Justice School in Newport and became a JAG (Judge Advocate General), lawyer/judge under the uniform code of military justice.

John participated in a (then) classified program to evaluate the Mig 21 using an aircraft secured by Israel through an Iraqi defector. A handful of pilots with reputations as “the best in the fleet” were selected to participate in this program which then convinced the Navy to establish their “Top Gun” school for fighter pilots. John became one of the original “Top Gun” instructors. By all accounts, he was one of the best Navy pilots flying the most challenging and dangerous aircraft of that time. His experiences as a pilot fighter included a NATO mission, where he intercepted an armed Russian-crewed TU-16 bomber near his carrier in the Mediterranean in May of 1969. He was under orders to shoot it down unless an immediate course change. John volunteered his flying combat readiness to the Israeli Air Force prior to the Arab 7 Day War.

After the Navy John returned to the Fryeburg area where he started Western Maine Realty, and later to run McSherry’s Orchard in Sweden until 2010 when he retired full time to the Keys.

During the slow winter months during this period John went to the Florida Keys and established a marine search and salvage operation, searching Florida and Bahamian waters. He is well known and respected within the ocean marine archeological survey and recovery community and always had a government-approved marine archeologist on board when artifacts were moved for recovery.

John made several major finds of historic significance, including a very early site with hundreds of gold and silver bars that were confirmed to belong to Cortez, due to their assayer’s mark, documenting Cortez’s savage behavior. John donated two silver bars to Mexico’s National Museum, along with Aztec religious figurines from the find, documenting that Cortez had looted and melted down such native religious artifacts. Another of his significant finds was an early, 12-foot-long brass cannon that is now displayed in a London Museum. Recovery of this cannon was documented in a NOVA episode.

In 2010 he sold the McSherry’s Orchard to The Stephen King Family. They are now running Pie Tree Orchard, a major pick your own apple and fruit facility.

John retired to the Florida Keys in 2010 where he lived with his companion, Lynne, and was locally nicknamed “Top Gun”. John was a “self-declared” Patriot to his death.

John was predeceased by his parents, Thomas, and Dorothy McSherry; and by his eldest daughter, Katherine.

He is survived by his daughters Stephanie McSherry Chamberlain, and husband Carey, grandchildren Dexter and Zita; and his daughter, Elizabeth McSherry and her husband Zach. He is survived by his sister, Gail McSherry and brother, Thomas “Ned” McSherry and life partner, Rochelle Leeder; his niece, Paige Fox and husband Marcus, grandniece Kendra and husband Brent Thomas and Nick Fox, and niece, Bethany Higdon and husband Mike.

A celebration of life will be held graveside.

Arrangements are under the care of Wood Funeral Home, 9 Warren St., Fryeburg. Online condolences may be shared with his family at http://www.woodfuneralhome.org

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