Francis Gerard Peattie
Bombardier on B-17E "Naughty But Nice" 41-2430

Born November 19, 1918 and raised in Beacon, New York where he was a volunteer fire fighter. He joined the US Army Air Force in January 1943.  He served as a bombardier in the 43rd Bomb Group, 5th Air Force based in Port Moresby, New Guinea. On a June 26, 1943 mission to Rabaul as bombardier on B-17E "Naughty But Nice" 41-2430, he was shot down and killed in the aircraft crash. His remains were recovered due to the efforts of fellow crew member, Jose Holguin who re-discovered the crash site in 1982 and US Army CILHI forensic work to identify additional remains recovered at the site that proved to be his.

Memorial & Grave Site
In his home town of Beacon, there is a memorial plaque at the Lewis Tomkins Hose Company #1 where Peattie volunteered.  At the firehouse, there is a display of his medals and piece of the aircraft displayed. In 1985, his remains recovered from New Guinea were buried in the old Beacon cemetery, next to his parents graves. On April 1, 2005, Curt Holguin, son of navigator Jose Holguin visited beacon with his family to pay respects at the grave and fire house.