World War II Honoree

Rolland 'Rolly' Garald Pearce

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Michigan City, Indiana

Honored By

Frederick Pearce

Relationship

Brother

ROLLY ENTERED THE ARMY AS A COMBAT ENGINEER AND LATER TRANSFERRED TO THE ARMY AIR FORCE WHEN THERE WAS AN URGENT NEED FOR FLYERS. HE WAS THE BALL TURRET GUNNER ON A B-24 BOMBER WITH THE 15TH AIR FORCE, 450TH BOMB GROUP (THE COTTONTAILS), 722ND SQUADRON IN ITALY. AFTER MISSIONS OVER FRANCE, GERMANY, AUSTRIA, ITALY AND ROMANIAN PLOESTI OIL FIELDS HIS PLANE, THE 'TONI GAYLE' WAS SHOT DOWN 10 MONTHS PRIOR TO VICTORY IN EUROPE. WITH HIS PARACHUTE HE LANDED ADJACENT TO A GERMAN GARRISON AND WAS IMMEDIATELY CAPTURED. HE BECAME A GERMAN POW INITIALLY AT STALAG LUFT 4 AND ISSUED GERMAN DOG-TAG NUMBER 2733. SOMETIME LATER HE ENDURED A FORCED WINTER MARCH TO STALAG 357 NEAR FALLINGBOTLE, GERMANY. STALAG 357 WAS LIBERATED APRIL 16, 1945 BY THE BRITISH 7TH ARMORED DIVISION. AFTER ENDURING BRUTAL CONDITIONS AS A POW (LACK OF FOOD, ADEQUATE MEDICAL ATTENTION, NO WINTER CLOTHING) HIS WEIGHT WAS DOWN TO 90 POUNDS WHEN LIBERATED. AS A SERGEANT HE EARNED THE PURPLE HEART, GOOD CONDUCT AND AIR MEDALS.