World War II Honoree

Arthur D. Perkins

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Fargo, North Dakota

Honored By

Bend Heroes Foundation

1ST LIEUTENANT, ENLISTED IN THE ARMY AIR FORCES ON 6 JANUARY 1942 IN FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA. ASSIGNED TO THE 449TH BOMB SQUADRON, 322ND BOMB GROUP, 9TH AIR FORCE AS A NAVIGATOR, HE JOINED THE CREW ASSIGNED TO BOMBER 773, THE B-26 MARAUDER AIRCRAFT AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS 'FLAK BAIT'. FROM THEIR AIRBASE IN ENGLAND, THEY BOMBED ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING THAT WOULD WREAK HAVOC ON THE GERMAN ARMY AND AIR FORCE, INCLUDING ENEMY AIRFIELDS IN FRANCE, BELGIUM, AND HOLLAND, POWER STATIONS, SHIPYARDS, CONSTRUCTION WORKS, MARSHALLING YARDS, RAILROAD AND HIGHWAY BRIDGES, OIL TANKS, AND MISSILE SITES, COASTAL DEFENSES AND GUN BATTERIES, FUEL AND AMMUNITION DUMPS, BRIDGES, ORDNANCE DEPOTS AND ROAD JUNCTIONS, AS WELL AS DEFENDED VILLAGES. THEY HAD MANY CLOSE CALLS AS 'FLAK BAIT' SUSTAINED OVER 1000 BULLET HOLES, RETURNED TWICE ON ONE ENGINE AND ONCE WITH AN ENGINE ON FIRE, LOST ITS ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ONCE AND ITS HYDRAULIC SYSTEM TWICE. HE ALSO PARTICIPATED IN BOMBING MISSIONS IN SUPPORT OF D-DAY AND THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE. HE WAS AWARDED THE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION, AIR MEDAL WITH 15 CLUSTERS, D7C-SPECIAL COMMENDATION.