World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
Lester R. Pearson
Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
Sumner, Washington
Honored By
John Meurs
Relationship
Dutch Historian
SERVICE NUMBER 39217230. BALL TURRET GUNNER WITH THE 91ST BOMB GROUP, 324TH BOMB SQUADRON OF THE 8TH U.S. ARMY AIR FORCE BASED IN ENGLAND. ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1944, HIS B-17G, SERIAL NUMBER 42-38128, 'DEAR BECKY' WAS ATTACKED BY GERMAN FIGHTERS DURING A MISSION TO THE ALTENBEKEN RAILROAD VIADUCT, GERMANY, WAS HIT IN NUMBER 2 ENGINE AND EXPLODED 2 MINUTES LATER. EIGHT CREW MEMBERS, INCLUDING THE HONOREE, SAVED THEMSELVES BY PARACHUTE AND SURVIVED THE WAR.