Harl Pease Harl Pease , Jr . , ( April 10 , 1917 – October 8 , 1942 ) was a United States Army Air Forces officer and a recipient of the United States military ' s highest award , the Medal of Honor , for his actions during World War II . He is the namesake for Pease Air Force Base . Biography . Captain Harl Pease , born and raised in Plymouth , New Hampshire , enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1939 after graduating from the University of New Hampshire the same year with a degree in Business Administration and becoming a brother of Theta Chi Fraternity . He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in June 1940 and awarded pilot rating upon completion of flight training at Kelly Field , Texas . Pease was assigned to the 19th Bomb Group as a B - 17 pilot at Albuquerque Army Air Base , and in October 1941 flew with the group to Clark Field in the Philippines . As part of the Far East Air Force , Pease was present at Clark Field when it was bombed by Japanese aircraft on December 8 , 1941 , flew missions in defense of the Philippines , and evacuated with the group to Darwin , Northern Territory , on December 20 , 1941 . Pease continued to fly missions with the group in defense of Java until the end of February 1942 . As the Japanese advanced in the Philippines , Lt . Pease was ordered to lead three B - 17s of the 19th BG to Del Monte Field on Mindanao to evacuate General Douglas MacArthur , along with the General ' s family and staff , to Australia . One of the battered planes was forced to abort early , while another developed engine trouble and crashed south of Del Monte . Pease landed his Fortress safely , despite its inoperative wheel brakes . MacArthur was shocked at the sight of Pease ' s aircraft , upon which the ground crews of the undersupplied 19th had used cut - up ration cans to patch bullet holes , as well as Pease himself , whom MacArthur described as a " child " . MacArthur flatly refused to place his wife and son aboard Pease ' s B - 17 and instead waited for another plane to arrive two days later . In May , from a base near Townsville , Queensland , the 19th BG supported naval carrier aircraft in the Battle of the Coral Sea , and bombed targets on the north coast of New Guinea , 16 - 18 hour missions that necessitated staging through Port Moresby . During the first six months of the war , the 19th was awarded four Distinguished Unit Citation s . On August 6 , 1942 , one engine of Pease ' s B - 17 failed during a mission , forcing a return to its base at Mareeba Airfield for repairs . The 19th BG had already scheduled a " maximum effort " mission against Rabaul , New Britain , on August 7 but Pease and his crew , with their aircraft out of commission , were not scheduled . Pease understood the importance of the mission and was determined to rejoin the group . Only one B - 17 at Mareeba was flyable , a " war - weary " bomber relegated to training . Its engines needed overhaul , some armament had been dismounted , and the electric fuel - transfer pump had been used for replacement parts . Pease had a fuel tank installed in the bomb bay , with a handpump rigged to transfer fuel , and in less than three hours , was en route to Port Moresby with his crew , all of whom had also volunteered for the mission . They landed at 1 a . m . after working or flying almost continuously since 6 a . m . the previous day . With only three hours crew rest , Pease took off with the group to attack Rabaul ' s Vunakanau airdrome . Forty to fifty miles from the target , the group was attacked by more than 30 Japanese fighters . Pease and his crew claimed several of the fighters , fought their way to the target , and bombed successfully , but sustained heavy damage in the attacks . After leaving the target area , Pease ’ s crippled B - 17 fell behind the rest of the formation . Once again attacked by fighters , he was seen to jettison the burning bomb bay fuel tank before falling back out of sight . Pease and his crew were presumed killed in action . Before the B - 17 crashed , however , Pease and another crew member were able to bail out . Both were captured and taken to a POW camp in Rabaul . Pease languished there until October 8 , 1942 . On that date , Pease , along with three other Americans and two Australians , were forced to dig their own grave , then were beheaded . The executed men were buried by local missionaries . It was not until 1946 that their bodies were recovered for a full military burial . On December 2 , 1942 , the Medal of Honor , awarded posthumously to Pease , was presented by President Franklin D . Roosevelt to his father . The recommendation for the award had been issued by Major General George Kenney , with an endorsement General MacArthur had personally written when Kenney notified him of Pease ' s death . ( Air Mission ) Medal of Honor citation . Rank and Organization : Captain , U . S . Army Air Corps , 93rd Bombardment Squadron . Place and Date Near Rabaul , New Britain , 6 - August 7 , 1942 . Entered Service at : Plymouth , N . H . Birth : Plymouth , N . H . G . O . No . : 59 , November 4 , 1942 . For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy on 6 – 7 August 1942 . When 1 engine of the bombardment airplane of which he was pilot failed during a bombing mission over New Guinea , Capt . Pease was forced to return to a base in Australia . Knowing that all available airplanes of his group were to participate the next day in an attack on an enemy - held airdrome near Rabaul , New Britain , although he was not scheduled to take part in this mission , Capt . Pease selected the most serviceable airplane at this base and prepared it for combat , knowing that it had been found and declared unserviceable for combat missions . With the members of his combat crew , who volunteered to accompany him , he rejoined his squadron at Port Moresby , New Guinea , at 1 a . m . on 7 August , after having flown almost continuously since early the preceding morning . With only 3 hours ' rest , he took off with his squadron for the attack . Throughout the long flight to Rabaul , New Britain , he managed by skillful flying of his unserviceable airplane to maintain his position in the group . When the formation was intercepted by about 30 enemy fighter airplanes before reaching the target , Capt . Pease , on the wing which bore the brunt of the hostile attack , by gallant action and the accurate shooting by his crew , succeeded in destroying several Zeros before dropping his bombs on the hostile base as planned , this in spite of continuous enemy attacks . The fight with the enemy pursuit lasted 25 minutes until the group dived into cloud cover . After leaving the target , Capt . Pease ' s aircraft fell behind the balance of the group due to unknown difficulties as a result of the combat , and was unable to reach this cover before the enemy pursuit succeeded in igniting 1 of his bomb bay tanks . He was seen to drop the flaming tank . It is believed that Capt . Pease ' s airplane and crew were subsequently shot down in flames , as they did not return to their base . In voluntarily performing this mission Capt . Pease contributed materially to the success of the group , and displayed high devotion to duty , valor , and complete contempt for personal danger . His undaunted bravery has been a great insplration to the officers and men of his unit .