Name:
Arnold E. Pearson
Rank:
Staff Sergeant
Serial Number:
15084497
Unit:
367th Bombardment Squadron
Date of Death:
1944-12-20
State:
Indiana
Cemetery:
Epinal American Cemetery, Epinal, France
Plot:
A
Row:
38
Grave:
44
Decoration:
Purple Heart
Comments:
SSgt Arnold E. Pearson, right waist gunner of the B-17 42-5071, took off from Station 111 in Thurleigh, Bedfordshire, UK at 0930 on a bombing mission over the Romilly-sur-Seine airport. The plane was shot down by German fighters and only partially evacuated. According to eyewitness Floyd's aircraft was the last in the formation and the easiest to pick off for the German fighters at about 1310 after making their bomb run. They were attacked at 20 000 feet. One witness reported explosions near the cockpit. Although no chutes were reported from any of the eyewitnesses three crew members survived.