70 years later, WWII bombardier receives presidential honor

WASHINGTON (AP) — At age 22, 2nd Lt. John Pedevillano was the youngest bombardier in the U.S. Army Air Corps’ 306th Bomb Group when he was shot down by Nazi fighter pilots in Germany in 1944.

Pedevillano and his crew were later taken as prisoners of war before being liberated by U.S. Army forces under Gen. George S. Patton in 1945.

More than 70 years later, Pedevillano has received the Presidential Unit Citation, with one Oak Leaf Cluster, for extraordinary heroism in combat.

Arizona Sen. John McCain, himself a former prisoner of war, awarded the citation at a ceremony Tuesday at the U.S. Capitol.

McCain called the ribbon a small token of the esteem in which Pedevillano and his fellow soldiers are held. He said Padevillano was “an inspiration” to current and future military members.