World War II Honoree

Nels W. Pedersen

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Appleton, Wisconsin

Honored By

Walter Lawrence

Relationship

Friend

NAVIGATOR ON CREW FLYING IN THE 8TH AIR FORCE, 44TH BOMB GROUP AND 506TH SQUADRON, STATIONED AT SHIPDAM AERODROME NEAR NORWICH, ENGLAND. ON 29 JUNE 1944, THEY WERE ON A MISSION TO MAGDEBURG, GERMANY TO BOMB THE KRUPP AIRCRAFT FACTORY AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER DROPPING THEIR BOMBS, 2 B-24 HEAVY BOMBERS WERE HIT BY ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE RESULTING IN THEIR DISINTEGRATION. HE WAS KILLED IN ACTION THAT DAY ON HIS 29TH MISSION. HE RECEIVED THE PURPLE HEART, THE AIR MEDAL WITH 3 OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER MEDAL AND THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL.