World War II Honoree

Pete E. F. Arnold

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Pateros, Washington

Honored By

LTC Charles T. Borg, USA-Ret.

JOINED ARMY AIR FORCE IN JUNE, 1941 AT MCCORD FIELD, WASHINGTON. FLIGHT TRAINING AT RYAN SCHOOL OF AERONAUTICS AT HEMET, CALIFORNIA WHICH INCLUDED FLIGHT TIME IN PT-13 BIPLANE. IN FEBRUARY 1942 RECEIVED PILOT WINGS AND COMMISSION AS LIEUTENANT. ASSIGNED TO BOMB TRAINING SCHOOL, ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO AS A BOMBARDMENT PILOT INSTRUCTOR. IN EARLY 1944, WAS ASSIGNED TO 20TH BOMBER COMMAND'S B-29 LEAD CREW TRAINING PROGRAM AT ALAMOGORDO, NEW MEXICO AND QUALIFIED AS AIRCRAFT COMMANDER. IN SEPTEMBER 1944, BEGAN OPERATIONAL TRAINING AT HARVARD, NEBRASKA WITH 485TH SQUADRON, 501ST BOMB GROUP PREPARING FOR DEPLOYMENT TO PACIFIC THEATER. ORDERED TO ISLAND OF GUAM TO COMMENCE MISSIONS AGAINST TARGETS ON JAPANESE ISLANDS. PROMOTED TO MAJOR. MISSIONS WERE CARRIED OUT AT NIGHT AT FLIGHT LEVELS BELOW 17,000 FEET IN B-29 OUTFITTED WITH APQ EAGLE RADAR FOR PRECISION BOMBING. WHEN HOSTILITIES CEASED ON AUGUST 15, 1945, HE HAD FLOWN 15 COMBAT MISSIONS. DROPPED FOOD AND MEDICAL SUPPLIES TO AMERICAN SERVICEMEN BEING HELD IN JAPANESE PRISON CAMPS. DURING FORMAL SURRENDER CEREMONIES BEING CONDUCTED IN TOKYO BAY ON BATTLE SHIP MISSOURI, PILOTED ONE OF 500 B-29'S IN A VICTORY OVER-FLIGHT OF THE CEREMONY SITE. AWARDED LEGION OF MERIT, BRONZE STAR, AIR MEDAL WITH 5 OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER MEDAL WITH 2 BATTLE STARS, WWII VICTORY MEDAL AND PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION. HE REMAINED IN THE AIR FORCE UNTIL 1971, RETIRING AT THE RANK OF COLONEL.