World War II Honoree

William Magruder Pearson

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Bristol, Tennessee

Honored By

Jim & John Hammond

TECHNICAL SERGEANT, ENGINEER AND WAIST GUNNER ON B-24S IN THE 8TH AIR FORCE, ENGLAND. JOINED AUGUST 6, 1942, AND WAS DISCHARGED JULY 19, 1945. COMPLETED SCHOOLS IN AIRPLANE MECHANICS AT JOHNSON FIELD, GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA, AIRPLANE MECHANIC SPECIALIST AT MARTIN FIELD, MARYLAND, AND AERIAL GUNNERY SCHOOL IN MIAMI, FLORIDA. MEMBER OF, AND COMPLETED A FULL TOUR OF 30 MISSIONS IN THE 392ND BOMB GROUP 579TH SQUADRON WENDLING AIR BASE 118, ENGLAND. AS AN ENGINEER ON THE HAMMOND CREW, HAD TRAINED ON B-24 AIRCRAFT AT GOWEN FIELD, IDAHO, 29TH BOMB GROUP, 52ND SQUADRON, AND POCATELLO, IDAHO 382ND BOMB GROUP, 539TH SQUADRON FROM APRIL 1943 TO SEPTEMBER 1943, ARRIVING IN ENGLAND OCTOBER 1943. ORIGINALLY DESTINED FOR B-29 AIRPLANES IN THE 29TH BOMB GROUP, THIS CREW WAS DIVERTED TO B-24'S AND ASSIGNED TO THE 8TH AIR FORCE, ENGLAND, DUE TO THE HIGH ATTRITION IN CREWS THERE IN THE HEAVY FIGHTING WITH THE GERMAN LUFTWAFFE. FLEW THE FEBRUARY 1944, MISSIONS KNOWN AS BIG WEEK, THE PURPOSE OF WHICH WAS TO DEGRADE THE GERMAN LUFTWAFFE PRIOR TO D-DAY. FLEW ALL THE MARCH 1944, MISSIONS TO BERLIN, INCLUDING MARCH 6, 1944, TO THE DAIMLER BENZ FACTORY AT GENSHAGEN, BERLIN, WHEN 8TH AIR FORCE B-17'S AND B-24'S LOST 69 OUT OF 730 BOMBERS SENT TO BERLIN, THAT DAY. AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, AIR MEDAL WITH 3 OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 1 SILVER SERVICE CAMPAIGN STAR (WHICH REPRESENTS 5 BRONZE SERVICE/CAMPAIGN STARS), WWII VICTORY MEDAL AND WWII LAPEL BUTTON. RECEIVED THE DISTINGUISHED UNIT CITATION FOR THE GOTHA RAID, WHICH WAS AWARDED TO THE 392ND BOMB GROUP FOR DESTROYING THE GOTHA MESSERSCHMIDT FIGHTER FACTORY ON FEBRUARY 24, 1944 AFTER THE 392ND BOMB GROUP HAD FOUGHT THEIR WAY THROUGH 1 1/2 HOURS OF FIGHTERS AND FLAK TO REACH THE TARGET, LOSING 7 OF 31 B-24'S THAT MADE IT TO THE TARGET.