My Good Friend Jean Pierre, from Chartres, France: Honoring Lt. Thomas Pearce of Clarksburg Ohio

Chartres' Jean Pierre laying flowers at the base of Lt. Thomas Pearce's cross at St. Laurent cemetery in Normandy, France: April 10, 2009.

On May 11, 1944, my cousin, Clarksburg Ohio resident, Lt. Thomas Pearce (487th Bomb Group, 838th Bomb Squadron), was killed-in-action when his B-24 bomber was hit by German Anti-Aircraft Artillery over Chateaudun, France. Following an emergency crash landing in a French farm field not far from Chateaudun, the aircraft caught fire and exploded with a significant amount of fuel remaining in the aircraft's tanks, and a full bomb load in the bomb bay. Before the explosion, Pilot - Captain Ed Brodsky, and Co-pilot - Captain Jack Roberts managed to squeeze through a hole in the windshield and escape, but were quickly captured by German troops and sent to the Stalag Luft III POW Camp. Lt. Lee Johnson, an additional Navigator on the mission, parachuted to safety before the aircraft crash landed and was also captured. The remainder of the crew including Clarksburg's Lt. Pearce, Lester Weiss (Navigator), Walter Simoni (Engineer), Cliff Nance (Radio Operator), William J. Murphy (Gunner), Elton Tollett (Gunner), and Bronis Lipskas (gunner), were trapped inside and killed when the aircraft exploded a few minutes following the crash landing.

Today, I received a surprise email from a dear friend, Mr. Jean Pierre, from Chartres, France, who visited Lt. Thomas Pearce's grave (At the U.S. Military Cemetery in St. Laurent, France - overlooking Omaha Beach in Normandy) this weekend and laid a nice bouquet of flowers at its base. Mr. Pierre has taken a keen interest in this specific crash and through the years shared information back and forth with me, including sending me two separate pieces of the wreckage -- a piece of the aircraft's glass, as well as a piece of the sheet metal. He is a smart and compassionate man who shares my love for World War II history and a deep respect for the men who fought in the war. One of his most significant research accomplishments was locating and uncovering the remains of the pre D-Day C-47 crash that killed Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment Company Commander Lt. Thomas Meehan. Lt. Meehan's death on June 6, 1944, led to the promotion of Lt. Richard Winters -- the focal point of Stephen Ambrose's book and HBO special - Band of Brothers. I am proud to be Jean Pierre's friend and appreciate his friendship very much. Without excellent, intelligent resources like Mr. Pierre, it would be very difficult for Americans to thoroughly research and locate the crashes and battlefields of loved ones. Thanks Jean! (PICTURED: Jean Pierre in Normandy in front of Clarksburg Ohio's Lt. Thomas Pearce's grave).

Clarksburg Ohio World War II heavy bomber crewmembers busy on March 24!

Today in Ohio World War II veteran history:

March 24, 1942: Bob Anderson attends a war benefit at Santa Monica High School, including performances by actors Red Skelton, Lucille Ball, and Philip Dorary.

March 24, 1943: John Martin arrives Clarksburg, Ohio for a ten day furlough from infantry training. Warren Martin arrives Clarksburg, Ohio for a multi-day furlough with parents and his brother John.

March 24, 1944: Jack Morris flies his 11th bombing mission on the St. Dizier airfield near Metz, France, which at the time was being utilized by the German Luftwaffe. Morris attached to the 392nd Bomb Group.

March 24, 1945: Don Adams flies his tenth bombing mission on the Neuberg Airdrome in Neuberg, Germany. Adams attached to the 485th Bomb Group, 83oth Bomb Squadron, flying B-24 Liberators. Lewis Garrison sees brother Dick Garrison for the first time since the beginning of the war while on a furlough. Norman Trapp flies his 21st bombing mission in a B-17, on the Vechte Airfield in B-17 44-8468 (pictured above) attached to the 351st Bomb Group. Roy Hawkins crosses the Rhine River at 0200 hours as part of the 463rd AAA.

Today in Ohio World War II History: Clarksburg Ohio World War II veterans advance!

Today in Clarksburg Ohio World War II history: Ohio World War II veterans from Clarksburg Ohio continue to work their way in hopes for an end to the war.

March 11, 1944: Howard Eisenbrey departs Clarksburg Ohio following an extended furlough with his parents, bound for Foster General Hospital in Jackson, Mississippi. Lt. Lewis Garrison officially arrives the ETO attached to the 466th Bomb Group, serving as a Navigator aboard a B-24 Liberator.

March 11, 1945: Fred Rittenhouse, part of the 777th Tank Battalion, motors toward Zingsheim, Germany and stays with civilians for six days while resting and performing regular maintenance on the battalion's tanks. Kenneth Dean departs the European Theater to return to the U.S. Willis Cleary and the 23rd Regimental Personnel Group depart the village of Kommern, Germany and arrive Ahrweiler, Germany with plans to cross the Rhine River at Remagen once the bridge is secured by the 9th Armored Division. Cleary's regiment moves into German homes and raids a local distillery. Pictured above is Cleary's grandson Vic Cleary standing in streets of Kommern in May of 2000.

March 11, 1946: Dwight Casto's ship departs the ETO bound for the United States. Wendell Carroll's troopship docks in the United States.

February 22: A big day for Clarksburg Ohio B-24 Liberator crew members during World War II

Today in Clarksburg Ohio World War II history:

February 22, 1944: Lt. Jack Morris (392nd Bomb Group) writes to his parents while in a hospital recovering from fatigue and wounds received in his first crash of World War II - this time in England, the result of being shot up following a bombing mission. Morris does not elude to his wounds nor the crash he and his crew endured two days before on February 20 in his letter to his parents. His war was not over, but he was awrded the Purple Heart for this crash. (photo: February 20, 1944, the remains of Lt. Morris' B-24 in southern England following their crashlanding in a beet field). Roy Hawkins departs the U.S. for the European Theater.

February 22, 1945: Don Adams flies his fifth B-24 bombing mission over Murnau, Germany with the 485th Bomb Group.

Garrison stricken with Malaria in the Pacific, Lt. Adams flying regular B-24 Missions, Peck completes 450 hours in C-46 time over the Hump!

Today in Clarksburg Ohio World War II history:

February 14, 1941: Marvin Carroll enlists in the U.S. Army and is eventually assigned to the 14th Armored Infantry, C Company.

February 14, 1943: Harold Garrison (pictured left) spends his first day in Perth, Australia as part of the 32nd Infantry Division.

February 14, 1944: Harold Garrison becomes ill due to the effects of Malaria and is admitted to a hospital in the Southwest Pacific.

February 14, 1945: Lt. Don Adams flies his third bombing mission on the Lobau Oil Refinery in Vienna, Austria. John Peck completes 450 hours of operational flight time in C-46's over the Hump in the China India Burma theater.

Morris flies 3rd bombing mission during World War II and Eycke is awarded Bronze Star in Pacific

World War II timeline.

Clarksburg Ohio veterans on this day in history.

February 2, 1944: Jack Morris flies his third bombing mission to Watten, France, as part of the 392nd Bomb Group. Kenneth Ater is based in Italy. Leo Rose is based at Fort Niagra, New York and enjoying a ten-day furlough with his sister in Grove City, Ohio.

February 2, 1945: Tom Eycke (pictured left) ends a month of treacherous service in Leyte, Philippines removing and destroying enemy ammunition from caves. He is awarded a Bronze Star for Bravery.

Today in Clarksburg Ohio World War II history: Graham in Georgia

Today in Ohio World War II history: Clarksburg Ohio native, Solon Graham arrives Chatham Field in Savannah, Georgia for flight training in the B-24 Liberator. Graham is pictured with close friends, second from the left.