Francis Yohannan, R.I.P.

[Dave Monroe]

March 27, 2001 

Francis Yohannan, 'Catch-22' Inspiration, Dies at 79

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

SPOKANE, Wash., March 26 — Francis Yohannan, a World
War II aviator who was an inspiration for the
protagonist of Joseph Heller's darkly comic novel,
"Catch-22," died on March 17 of complications from a
stroke. He was 79.

Mr. Yohannan became friends with Heller when both were
bombardiers in Corsica in 1944. In a 1998 interview in
USA Today, Heller said it was from Mr. Yohannan that
he "derived the unconventional name for the heretical
Yossarian," the terrified bombardier of his 1961
novel.

To Mr. Yohannan "it was all tongue-in-cheek," said his
son, Lance, who said his father turned aside questions
from reporters who asked if he was the real-life
Yossarian. "He would never bring up 'Catch-22' by
himself or talk much about the war," he said.

Mr. Yohannan retired from the Air Force in 1974 as a
lieutenant colonel.

In addition to his son, of Paradise, Mont., he is
survived by his wife, Kathleen, and a daughter.

http://www.nytimes.com/2001/03/27/arts/27YOHA.html

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