World War II Honoree

Everett E. Friese

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Gibson City, Illinois

Honored By

Arens's Family

FLEW ON MISSION #20-06, MARCH 1943, #42-5261 (NO NAME) 360BS. HIS B-17 AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING IN THE NUMBER 3 POSITION IN THE LEAD ELEMENT AND WAS HIT BY AN FW-190 COMING IN OUT OF THE SUN. THE NUMBER 1 AND 2 ENGINE WAS KNOCKED OUT. IT WAS LAST SEEN HEADING TOWARD THE FRENCH COAST AND WAS IN CONTROL AT THE TIME. FORTY MINUTES LATER THE B-17 WAS DITCHED IN BAY OF BISCAY, 40 MILES OFF LORIENT. TWELVE HOURS LATER, HE AND 7 OTHER CREW MEMBERS WERE PICKED UP BY A GERMAN BOAT AND BROUGHT BACK TO GERMANY. HE SERVED THE REST OF THE TIME AS A PRISONER OF WAR IN STALAG VII-A UNTIL HE WAS LIBERATED ON APRIL 30, 1945.