Many people left North Dakota during the 1930s to find work. One was Noble Peterson of New England, a town in southwest North Dakota. Noble and a friend went to Oregon, but with no luck finding employment, Noble’s friend suggested joining the Army. 3 meals a day sounded good at the time, so they joined up. Noble was now in the Army, but his friend failed the physical and could not join. Noble entered the service in November of 1936 and reported to basic training.
When the US entered World War II in December of ‘41, Noble was assigned to a tank unit in Kentucky. He didn’t like the big, clumsy tanks however, so when he saw a notice to take a test to join the Army Air Corp pilot he jumped at the chance and was subsequently reassigned to Nashville, Tennessee for cadet training. Peterson earned his wings and ended up with the Eighth Air Force, flying the P-51 Mustang with the 355th Fighter Group based at Steeple Morden in Cambridgeshire, England.
On this date in 1944, Captain Peterson was leading his Squadron, escorting B-17 bombers returning from a mission over Leipzig, Germany. Around 20 Me-109 German fighters attempted to attack the bomber formation from the rear, and Noble turned the Squadron into them. Diving on the 109s, Noble was able to hit one of the German planes in the engine, causing it to belch fire and smoke as it fell away. The German formation was now scattered and Peterson picked out another plane as it darted through the cloud cover. Before he was able to close in however, Noble’s wing man called over the radio, telling him that the first 109 had dropped several thousand feet, leveled off and seemed to flying OK. This didn’t make sense to Noble because he knew he had taken the engine out. If it glided to a landing at an airfield, Noble would not be credited for destroying the plane.
Doing a wingover, Peterson dived, closing on the damaged plane. Just as he got into position, the canopy flew from the German plane and the pilot bailed out. Noble flew past, turned around, and pulling back the throttle, flew by the pilot, who now hung safely in his chute. Noble gave the German a friendly wave which the pilot returned!
Dakota Datebook by Scott Nelson
Sources: Personal interview with Noble Peterson, recording at the Heritage Center, Vet History Project. 358th Sqd. records.
