[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 22 (Wednesday, March 2, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E338]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    HONORING ROBERT WARREN PEARCE'S MILITARY SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOHN L. MICA

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 2, 2005

  Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Robert Warren Pearce 
in honor of his service to our country during World War II.
  Mr. Pearce was born in Terra Haute, Indiana, on November 20, 1921, as 
the younger of two sons of Mr. Owen Pearce, who is the son of 
immigrants from Wiesbaden, Germany.
  At the age of 21, Mr. Pearce resigned from his duties on RDX and bomb 
development for Dupont and enlisted in the Air Force in 1942. He began 
cadet training in San Antonio, Texas; and rose to the rank of a First 
Lieutenant bombardier and gunnery officer on a B-17 in the 452nd Bomber 
Group of the 8th Air Force, stationed near Attleboro, England.
  During World War II, he flew 25 missions as a Deputy Lead that 
involved the bombing of Wiesbaden, Germany, and food drops over 
Holland. His squadron also destroyed submarine pens, ammunition 
factories, and railroad marshalling yards in Berlin. When his bomber 
crew returned to the United States, Mr. Pearce stayed on in England to 
teach X Box Navigation and flew additional missions with a new crew.
  After an honorable discharge from the U.S. Army Air Corps, Mr. Pearce 
joined the Reserves where he served until 1957. He married Mary Jane 
Powers and moved to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, where he lived for 48 
years; and as a successful independent businessman, Robert and Mary 
Jane Powers raised four sons who shared pride in their father's service 
to our Nation. Mr. Pearce now resides in Ormond Beach, where he 
currently courageously battles Parkinson's disease.
  Mr. Speaker, because of Mr. Pearce's dedication to our country, I 
want to take this opportunity to recognize his war service, and ask all 
Members of the House to join me in celebrating the life and service of 
a wonderful husband, father and American.

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