Oscar B. Peterson, Jr.
Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Forces

In April 1944, Staff Sergeant Oscar B. Peterson, Jr. was serving as a ball turret gunner with the 759th Bomb Squadron, 459th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 304th Bombardment Wing, 15th Air Force, based at Giulia Airfield, Italy. The 459th Bombardment Group flew B-24 Liberator bombers on missions in Italy, France, the Balkans, Austria and Germany.

On 2 April 1944, SSGT Peterson was the ball turret gunner on the B-24J Liberator bomber Serial Number 42-64374 named 'Dead Man’s Hand' on a bombing mission over Steyr, Austria. The aircraft had a crew of 10. After the aircraft completed its bomb run it was hit by German anti-aircraft fire, which sent Dead Man’s Hand into a flat spin. It crashed at 1220 hours.

1LT Follender and SSGT Alexander J. Krajnik were killed in action; 2LT Julius A. Vanacore, SSGT Oscar B. Peterson, Jr., and SSGT Angelo G. Terrano were taken prisoner and died of their wounds on 9 April, 4 April and 5 April respectively; and the remaining crew members were taken prisoner.

Medals, Awards and Badges

Purple Heart
Air Medal
American Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
Army Air Forces Aircrew Badge

B-24J Liberator Bomber Serial Number 42-64374 Dead Man’s Hand had the following crew on 2 April 1944.

● Pilot: 1LT Seymour B. Follender [Honoree Record ID 180180]
● Co-Pilot: FO Alfred Shepard [Honoree Record ID 307984]
● Navigator: 2LT Julius A. Vanacore [Honoree Record ID 48871]
● Bombardier: FO Angelo F. Malerba [Honoree Record ID 307985]
● Engineer: TSGT Alexander Rzemlen [Honoree Record ID 307986]
● Radio Operator: SSGT Gerald A. Duval [Honoree Record ID 307987]
● Waist Gunner: SSGT Angelo G. Terrano [Honoree Record ID 307988]
● Waist Gunner: SSGT Alexander J. Krajnik [Honoree Record ID 46684]
● Ball Turret Gunner: SSGT Oscar B. Peterson, Jr. [Honoree Record ID 113193]
● Tail Turret Gunner: TSGT John W. Wells [Honoree Record ID 307989]

Burial

Staff Sergeant Oscar B. Peterson, Jr. is buried at the Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial in Saint-Avold, Departement de la Moselle, Lorraine, France in Plot A, Row 19, Grave 40.

[The information in this biography was derived primarily from various sections of the 459th Bombardment Group website at http://www.459bg.org/ and permission was granted for its use.]