World War II Honoree

Roy A Peterson, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Flint, Michigan

Honored By

Dona, Paula, Marcia, Patricia, Cynthia, Sandra, Diana, Debra, Roy III, Peter

Relationship

Wife and Children

PILOTED B-24 HEAVY BOMBARDMENT AIRCRAFT AND COMMANDED CREW ON OFFENSIVE MISSIONS AGAINST THE ENEMY. PROPERLY INSPECTED AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO MISSION. TOOK OFF OPERATED AND LANDED UNDER VARYING FLYING CONDITIONS AND SUCH HAZARDS AS ADVERSE WEATHER, ENEMY ACTION, LOW ALTITUDE AND NIGHT FLYING. FLEW IN FORMATION AND BY INSTRUMENTS. NAVIGATED BY PILOT-AGE, DEAD RECKONING AND RADIO AIDS. FLEW 24 COMBAT MISSIONS OVER FRANCE, GERMANY AND BELGIUM. FIRST LIEUTENANT 557 SQUADRON (H) 389 BOMB GROUP PILOT B-24 LIBERATOR: HIS PLANE WAS CALLED 'POT LUCK' AND THAT WAS THE INSIGNIA ON THE PLANE. ON SEPTEMBER 28, 1944 ON HIS 28TH MISSION HIS PLANE WAS HIT BY ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE NEAR KOBLENZ, GERMANY. THE PLANE WAS SHOT DOWN AND THE CREW HAD TO TAKE TO THEIR PARACHUTES. HE WAS HIT IN THE FACE AND SUSTAINED INJURIES WHILE BAILING OUT. FOR THREE DAYS HE HID IN THE WOODS UNTIL HE WAS CAPTURED BY THE GERMANS AND SENT TO THE INTERROGATION CENTER IN OBERURSEL GERMANY THEN TO STALAG LUFT 1 IN BARTH, GERMANY. DECORATIONS: PURPLE HEART, AIR MEDAL WITH 3 OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, PRISONER OF WAR MEDAL (GERMANY, SEPTEMBER 28 1944-APRIL 18 1945) GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER CAMPAIGN RIBBON WITH 3 CAMPAIGN STARS. SERVING AS AN AVIATION CADET AUGUST 29, 1942. ONCE COMMISSION HE SERVED DECEMBER 5, 1943 TO DECEMBER 25 1945. JOINING THE NATIONAL GUARD AFTER THE SERVICE RETIRING WITH 20 YEARS TOTAL SERVICE.