World War II Honoree

Roley E. Arterburn

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Lamar, Nebraska

Honored By

Steven Spady

Relationship

Nephew

LIEUTENANT. CO-PILOT OF A B-24 WITH THE 8TH AIR FORCE 44TH BOMBER GROUP, FLYING OUT OF ENGLAND. FLEW HIS FIRST MISSION ON D-DAY AND SUBSEQUENTLY FLEW EIGHT MORE BOMBING MISSIONS OVER FRANCE AND ITALY. ON HIS NINTH MISSION, TO BOMB A RAIL YARD NEAR PARIS, HIS AIRCRAFT WAS HIT BY INTENSE ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE AND HE RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES, FOR WHICH HE WAS AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART. HIS AIRCRAFT WAS ABLE TO RETURN TO ITS BASE WITH DAMAGED HYDRAULICS, A SINGLE WORKING MAIN LANDING GEAR AND ONLY TWO ENGINES. A THIRD ENGINE FAILED JUST BEFORE LANDING. ALTHOUGH THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED ON LANDING, ALL CREW MEMBERS SURVIVED AND ALL OTHERS, EXCEPT LIEUTENANT ARTERBURN, WERE ABLE TO RETURN TO ACTIVE DUTY. MILITARY INTELLIGENCE LATER REPORTED THE HEAVIER THAN NORMAL DEFENSE OF THE RAIL YARD WAS DUE TO THE FACT ADOLPH HITLER WAS HOLED UP IN A RAILROAD TUNNEL NEAR THE END OF THE RAIL YARD.