Lester Frederick Peterson was born on March 8, 1919, in Massachusetts. He was the son of Lester Andrew Paterson and Margaret Christina Brown Gibb Paterson.

Lester served in the 353rd Bomber Squadron, 301st Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Sergeant and Waist Gunner on the B-17 #42-97580 during World War II.

On May 29, 1944, his crew took off from Lucera Airfield in Italy on a mission to bomb the Aerodrome in Wollersdorf, Austria. Their bomber was heavily hit by flak (anti-aircraft fire), and the aircraft exploded en route to the bombing site. Of the ten members who parachuted out of the flak-damaged and burning aircraft, 2 were killed, 5 were rescued by partisan forces, 2 were captured and taken as prisoners, and 1 died of wounds. Sgt Paterson was killed in this incident. He is now buried in the Woodlawn National Cemetery, Elmira, Chemung County, New York, in the same grave as Sgt Adam.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com