Captain Harl Pease, born and raised in Plymouth, NH, enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1939 after graduating from UNH the same year with a degree in Business Administration.
He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant a year later and awarded pilot rating upon completion of flight training at Kelly Field, Texas. He was immediately called to active duty and participated in B-17 bombing missions in the Pacific Theater.
It was during one of these missions, on August 5th, 1942, that one engine of Captain Pease’s B-17 failed, and he was forced to return to his base in Australia. His unit, the 19th Bomb Group, was scheduled to deploy to Papua, New Guinea, to support a maximum effort mission on August 7th. It would require all available aircraft. Captain Pease and his crew, with their aircraft out of commission, were not scheduled for the mission.
Determined not to “miss the big show,” the crew voluntarily selected and worked over one of several unserviceable B-17s at the base. They rejoined the 19th at Port Moresby, Papua, New Guinea at 1 a.m. after having flown almost continuously since early the preceding morning.
With only three hours rest, Captain Pease took off with the group to bomb targets at Rabaul, New Britain. Forty to fifty miles from the Vunakanua airfield target, the group was attacked by more than 30 Japanese fighters. Captain Pease and his crew shot down several of the enemy, fought their way to the target, and bombed successfully.
After leaving the target, Captain Pease’s crippled B-17 fell behind the rest of the formation. Once again attacked by more than 30 Japanese fighters, he was seen to drop a flaming bomb bay tank, and it is believed that he and his crew were subsequently shot down in flames.
On December 2, 1942, the Medal of Honor, awarded posthumously to Captain Pease for his heroism in combat, was presented by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to the hero’s parents. His actions represent the true spirit of New Hampshire’s patriots.
| Hall of Fame Members | UNH Army ROTC | UNH Air Force ROTC | UNH Homepage |
Please contact me via email or telephone, (603) 862-1078/1079 for further information or updates. We are also soliciting contact information for UNH ROTC graduates from all classes.