The Man Behind the Name
S/Sgt. Edgar J. Pearson served as tail gunner and right waist gunner aboard his aircraft during the August 1, 1943 Ploesti mission. He had completed 12 missions. Three sources document his fate: E&E Reports No. 2444 and 2451, and MACR-462. His next of kin was his mother, Mrs. Mary J. Pearson, of 400 Greene Avenue, Brooklyn, New York.
Pearson attempted to bail out following the mid-air collision over Bulgaria. He had been at the waist window searching for his parachute when last seen by S/Sgt. Murray. Bulgarian Army soldiers subsequently confirmed that his parachute opened but then collapsed, and that he was killed. His wallet, ring, and other personal effects were later seen in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Pearson's death is one of the most specifically documented in the MACR, with physical confirmation from Bulgarian Army sources and the recovery of his personal effects observed by surviving crew members while in Bulgarian custody.
Service record.
Missions flown.
The missions below are those we have been able to document for this airman, drawn from flight logs, mission records, and archival sources. It is not necessarily a complete account of every mission flown; gaps may reflect missing documentation, transferred assignments, or records lost to time.