The air force base at Portsmouth, N. H., was dedicated on September 7th, and named Pease Air Force Base in honor of the son of our members, Mr. and Mrs. Harl Pease of Plymouth, N. H. A picture of this event appears here. The original appeared in our Vol. 13 No. 1, May 1, 1958 Bulletin.
By the regulations of the government, such a dedication honors a deceased native son of the state in which a base is situated. The man so honored “has rendered outstanding service to his country thereby bringing great credit upon himself, his family and his native state.”
Capt. Harl Pease, Jr., has been missing since August 8, 1942 when his B-17 Flying Fortress was disabled and disappeared over the sea or the jungles of the Island of New Britain after an attack against the airdrome of Rabaul.
Mr. and Mrs. Pease and their (laughter, Charlotte, were escorted from Plymouth and return by military personnel and were the guests of honor at the ceremonies of the dedication. The State of New Hampshire presented to the Base a portrait of Captain Pease that was painted by Mr. Pietro Pezzati of Boston. The Town of Plymouth gave a monument and bronze plaque inscribed with the name of the Base that will stand near the flag pole in front of Base Headquarters.
Mrs. Pease is a descendant of Daniel Clough-4. See page 198 of the Clough Genealogy and page 101 of the Clough Book.
At Washington, D. C., in 1943, the second Congressional Medal of Honor that President Franklin D. Roosevelt awarded was in the name of Captain Pease and presented, posthumously, to his parents by the President.