WWII bombardier Pedigo honored at recent 80th D-Day memorial observance in France
World War II veteran and Southsider Bob Pedigo, left, and U.S. Army veteran Jim Pickering, a Vietnam veteran, met and talked recently about their service in the lobby at the MCL Cafeteria on the Southside.
(SOUTHSIDER VOICE PHOTOS BY AL STILLEY)
(SOUTHSIDER VOICE PHOTOS BY AL STILLEY)
This is the French Legion of Honor medal that was presented to Pedigo by French President Emmanuel Macron during the 80th celebration of D-Day in Normandy. By Al Stilley
Editor
World War II veteran and longtime Southsider Bob Pedigo returned early last month after being one of 63 retired American veterans who were honored during the 80th memorial ceremony of D-Day.
After his return to Indianapolis International Airport, Pedigo, 100, exclaimed that he had never been so exhausted or so honored as he was on the memorable visit back to Normandy for the June 6 ceremony.
As part of the 453rd Bombardment Group, Pedigo served as a front nose gunner on the first B-24 Liberator Bomber that flew over the beaches of Normandy and bombed the surprised German troops inland from Omaha Beach.
“We attacked a German troop concentration near St. Laurent,” Pedigo said of the D-Day bombardment. “We caught the Germans by surprise, and the targets were destroyed.”
On the flight across the English Channel, Pedigo also was stunned by the masses of military ships that made it look like you could walk across the channel using the ships as stepping stones.”
Pedigo’s B-24 Liberator Bomber was nicknamed the “Silent Yokum” after a then-popular cartoon character.
Their group commander of the four squadrons was famed actor and WWII hero Jimmy Stewart who befriended Pedigo for many years. They met at a squadron reunion several years later in California. Stewart’s bomber was known as “Nine Guys and a Jerk,” according to Pedigo.
“The day before D-Day, he (Stewart) took each squadron one by one into a nearby wheat field in the afternoon and was very brief,” Pedigo recalled. “He simply told us, ‘Fellas, we have a big mission in the morning, so I want you to get your rest early.’”
They were called to their bombers at 2:30 a.m. on June 6 for their over German encampments in France.
At the 80th D-Day observance, Pedigo was one of 11 U.S. veterans to receive the French Legion of Honor, France’s highest distinction, and presented by French President Emmanuel Macron with U.S. President Joe Biden in attendance. Macron pinned each Legion of Honor medal on each American honoree. The award was founded by Napoleon in 1802.
As honored as he was of the award, Pedigo expressed surprise and gratitude of the crowd that attended the 80th D-Day ceremony.
“We were recognized throughout the whole country,” Pedigo said of their visit to Paris, Normandy and the American Cemetery there. “We were bused from Paris to Normandy for the ceremony. When you turned and looked back on the crowd, you could see people as far as you could see.”
The D-Day ceremony featured youth choirs, remarks supporting freedom by Macron and Biden, tributes to the 8,000 American troops and 4,000 more troops from England, Canada, and Australia who perished in the attack.
Pedigo was still weary from his journey during an exclusive interview with The Southsider Voice.
His round-trip flight left Indianapolis May 30 to Dallas-Fort Worth where they gathered for dinner, a 1940s-era big band, and songs by the Victory Belles from the National World War II Museum in New Orleans. The next day they formed a parade to their American Airlines jetliner for their flight to Paris.
Pedigo explained that the American bombers softened up targets on D-Day. Pedigo later flew more than 30 extremely dangerous missions after D-Day over France and Berlin, Germany.
Pedigo recalled that the squadron’s most memorable flight came days after D-Day when their bombs destroyed 38 German jet fighters outside a factory and the entire factory that had 22 jet fighters inside.
“They had jets and we didn’t, so every flight was a challenge,” Pedigo recalled. “Their (jets) rate of closure was so fast, you had to look everywhere.”
After retiring from the U.S. Army, Pedigo worked at Naval Avionics and also help found the Warren Township Little League and Indianapolis Boys and Girls Clubs.
He celebrated his 100th birthday last year.
Pedigo was the youngest of his crew on the “Silent Yokum” by 31 days; he is the only surviving member.
Even as the interview ended, Pedigo’s voice trailed off, “8,000 (American) lives lost and 4,000 more.”
We must never forget.
Editor
World War II veteran and longtime Southsider Bob Pedigo returned early last month after being one of 63 retired American veterans who were honored during the 80th memorial ceremony of D-Day.
After his return to Indianapolis International Airport, Pedigo, 100, exclaimed that he had never been so exhausted or so honored as he was on the memorable visit back to Normandy for the June 6 ceremony.
As part of the 453rd Bombardment Group, Pedigo served as a front nose gunner on the first B-24 Liberator Bomber that flew over the beaches of Normandy and bombed the surprised German troops inland from Omaha Beach.
“We attacked a German troop concentration near St. Laurent,” Pedigo said of the D-Day bombardment. “We caught the Germans by surprise, and the targets were destroyed.”
On the flight across the English Channel, Pedigo also was stunned by the masses of military ships that made it look like you could walk across the channel using the ships as stepping stones.”
Pedigo’s B-24 Liberator Bomber was nicknamed the “Silent Yokum” after a then-popular cartoon character.
Their group commander of the four squadrons was famed actor and WWII hero Jimmy Stewart who befriended Pedigo for many years. They met at a squadron reunion several years later in California. Stewart’s bomber was known as “Nine Guys and a Jerk,” according to Pedigo.
“The day before D-Day, he (Stewart) took each squadron one by one into a nearby wheat field in the afternoon and was very brief,” Pedigo recalled. “He simply told us, ‘Fellas, we have a big mission in the morning, so I want you to get your rest early.’”
They were called to their bombers at 2:30 a.m. on June 6 for their over German encampments in France.
At the 80th D-Day observance, Pedigo was one of 11 U.S. veterans to receive the French Legion of Honor, France’s highest distinction, and presented by French President Emmanuel Macron with U.S. President Joe Biden in attendance. Macron pinned each Legion of Honor medal on each American honoree. The award was founded by Napoleon in 1802.
As honored as he was of the award, Pedigo expressed surprise and gratitude of the crowd that attended the 80th D-Day ceremony.
“We were recognized throughout the whole country,” Pedigo said of their visit to Paris, Normandy and the American Cemetery there. “We were bused from Paris to Normandy for the ceremony. When you turned and looked back on the crowd, you could see people as far as you could see.”
The D-Day ceremony featured youth choirs, remarks supporting freedom by Macron and Biden, tributes to the 8,000 American troops and 4,000 more troops from England, Canada, and Australia who perished in the attack.
Pedigo was still weary from his journey during an exclusive interview with The Southsider Voice.
His round-trip flight left Indianapolis May 30 to Dallas-Fort Worth where they gathered for dinner, a 1940s-era big band, and songs by the Victory Belles from the National World War II Museum in New Orleans. The next day they formed a parade to their American Airlines jetliner for their flight to Paris.
Pedigo explained that the American bombers softened up targets on D-Day. Pedigo later flew more than 30 extremely dangerous missions after D-Day over France and Berlin, Germany.
Pedigo recalled that the squadron’s most memorable flight came days after D-Day when their bombs destroyed 38 German jet fighters outside a factory and the entire factory that had 22 jet fighters inside.
“They had jets and we didn’t, so every flight was a challenge,” Pedigo recalled. “Their (jets) rate of closure was so fast, you had to look everywhere.”
After retiring from the U.S. Army, Pedigo worked at Naval Avionics and also help found the Warren Township Little League and Indianapolis Boys and Girls Clubs.
He celebrated his 100th birthday last year.
Pedigo was the youngest of his crew on the “Silent Yokum” by 31 days; he is the only surviving member.
Even as the interview ended, Pedigo’s voice trailed off, “8,000 (American) lives lost and 4,000 more.”
We must never forget.
Historic photo shows the crew of the B-24J Liberator that flew over Normandy as part of the 453rd Bombardment Group that struck German encampments moments before U.S. and Allied forces landed on D-Day June 6, 1944.
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