World War II Honoree

Lyle C. Pearson

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

North Mankato, Minnesota

Honored By

Friends of American Heroes

HE WAS THE PILOT OF A B-17 FLYING FORTRESS BOMBER WITH THE 15TH AIR FORCE. WAS ON HIS 50TH AND LAST BOMBING MISSION IN ITALY WHEN HE WAS SHOT DOWN ON DECEMBER 29, 1944. THE PLANE TOOK A DIRECT HIT FROM GROUND GUNS IN THE BRENNER PASS THAT LEFT HIS B-17 IN FLAMES. UNABLE TO ESCAPE, HE LOOKED DOWN AT THE ALPS WHERE HE THOUGHT THE PLANE WOULD CRASH. MOMENTS LATER HE WAS FALLING IN MIDAIR, BLOWN FREE WHEN THE BOMBER EXPLODED. HE WAS CONSCIOUS LONG ENOUGH TO PULL THE RELEASE ON HIS PARACHUTE. ONCE ON THE GROUND AND AFTER REGAINING CONSCIOUSNESS, HE STARTED DOWN THE MOUNTAIN BATTLING HEAVY SNOW AND A BADLY INJURED LEG. A WARNING SHOT FIRED BY A GERMAN CIVILIAN BROUGHT HIM TO A HALT. THEN A GERMAN SOLDIER CAME UP FROM BEHIND AND SMASHED HIM IN THE HEAD WITH A RIFLE BUTT. HE WAS IMPRISONED IN AUSTRIA BEFORE BEING TAKEN TO GERMANY. HE WAS INTERROGATED FOR 8 STRAIGHT DAYS AND THREATENED TO BE SHOT IF HE DID NOT GIVE MORE THAN HIS NAME, RANK AND SERIAL NUMBER. HE WAS THEN PUT INTO A RAILROAD BOXCAR AND SENT TO A PRISONER OF WAR CAMP NORTH OF BERLIN WHERE HE SPENT THE NEXT FIVE MONTHS. THE CAMP WAS FINALLY LIBERATED BY SOVIET TROOPS. HE REMAINED BEHIND BARBED WIRE FOR ANOTHER 10 DAYS BEFORE U.S. AIRCRAFT FLEW HIM TO FREEDOM. HE WAS TAKEN TO FRANCE FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT BEFORE BEING SENT HOME. AMONG HIS MEDALS IS THE PURPLE HEART.