In Planes, protagonist Dusty Crophopper is mentored by WWII veteran Skipper, who refuses to talk of his wartime experiences until the characters share a poignant scene on an aircraft carrier. Now DisneyToons Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter tells The Wall Street Journal about the real-life inspiration behind Skipper: his father, Paul Eual Lasseter, who served in the U.S. Navy as a gunner on the USS Saratoga. Director Klay Hall’s father also served in the Navy. “It’s not just a cutesy talking plane movie. There are some very powerful moments in this film,” says Lasseter. “To honor my father, to honor Klay’s father, and to honor all of the veterans out there, we wanted to get it right.”