My Escape Story: A Story of WWII

On this 79th anniversary of the Allied landings on the beaches of Normandy, retired SPHS French teacher Mary Behrends will share her father’s story of escape from occupied France. Arnold Pederson was the Flight Engineer on a B-17 that was shot down over northern France on February 8, 1944. The rest of the crew went down with the plane and were captured, but Arne heard the pilot's order to jump, so he did. This is not a D-day story, but the great adventure of a young soldier from Knife River, MN who was saved by resistant fighters, and remained grateful to them for the rest of his long life. He passed away this past December at the age of 100.

Mary Behrends, Retired SPHS Teacher

Tue., Jun. 6, 2 p.m., SPCC Rm. 219, Free