The Service of Remembrance for Noble Peterson, age 93, longtime Lemmon area farmer and rancher and World War II fighter pilot, will be 2:00 p.m. Saturday, March 14, 2009 at Calvary Lutheran Church in Lemmon with Pastor Ken Miller, officiating.

The Graveside Service for Noble and Betty will be held at 2:00 p.m. CT on Friday, May 22, 2009 at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery south of Mandan. Full military honors will be provided by the Brattvet-Green American Legion Post #66 of Lemmon and the SD National Guard Funeral Honors Team.

A memorial has been established by his family. A family service will be held at 7:00pm on Friday evening at the Evanson-Jensen Funeral Home in Lemmon.

NOBLE ERLING PETERSON was born November 26, 1915 at New England, ND to Halvor and Emma (Hoff) Peterson. He grew up on the family farm SW of Dickinson, ND and attended school in Slope County. He attended and graduated from Dickinson High School and then enrolled at the Dickinson State College.


Noble joined the army on Nov. 6, 1936 and was put on a ship out of San Francisco and sent to Hawaii for basic training and served in the 19th infantry. Noble served in Hawaii for two and a half years until a shoulder injury caused him to be discharged on June 20, 1939. After Pearl Harbor was attacked, Noble knew he would be called up for duty so he reenlisted back in the Army on March 20, 1942 at the same rank he was in prior service, a corporal.

Noble returned to the 11th Armored Battalion but then was sent to Nashville Tenn. for Cadet training. This was the start of Nobles service in the Army Air Corp.


Noble Peterson flew two tours of duty as a Fighter Pilot – the first tour in the "Dakota Kid", a P-51C. While at home on leave after his first tour, this plane was shot down in Poland while flown by another pilot during a "shuttle bombing" escort mission.


For his second tour he flew a brand new P-51D, this plane was named "Dakota Kid II". Noble belonged to the 355th Fighter Group, 358th Squadron based at Steeple Morden in Cambridgeshire, England.


On 20 July 1944 Captain Noble Peterson, flying Dakota Kid II, was escorting B-17's returning from a mission over Leipzig, Germany when around 20 ME-109's (Messerschmitts) attacked the bomber formation from the rear. Noble was leading the squadron in that quarter and turned the 358th into the enemy planes. Captain Perterson hit a 109 and it started going down with its engine on fire. The German formation had been broken up and were scattered. Noble climbed, going after another 109 that was darting in and out of cloud cover, when his wing man informed him that the first 109 had straightened out. Noble then dove again and as he came up on the smoking Messerschmitt, the pilot bailed out. Noble came around again and flew by the German that was now safely in his parachute. Noble gave him a friendly wave and the German pilot waved back!

Noble flew 106 missions over enemy territory, many of these as squadron commander. He was honorably discharged in 1945. During his service, Noble, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Air Medal with one Silver and four Gold Oak Leaf Clusters, and the European/African Campaign Medal with six Stars.


Noble was united in marriage to Betty Nasset on June 20, 1945 in rural Stark Co., ND. To this union five children were born. Noble always said he was fortunate to live a life surrounded by loving family, wonderful friends and of course, his livestock. He was a legendary horse whisperer long before the term was widely known. His way with animals of all breeds and sizes made them pets rather than just part of a herd. He was a part owner of the Lemmon Livestock Yards in the early 1970's, was a member of the Dakota Horse Lover's Saddle Club, a Trustee in the ND Cowboy Hall of Fame and was a Judge at many Rodeos in the area.


Noble was honored to represent Lemmon as Boss Cowman in 1996. He was also honored many times with awards for his cattle, his stewardship of the land and his contribution to many civic and county organizations. He believed none of this would have been possible without Betty and their children. Noble was a loving and nurturing Dad, a true friend and loving mate to his wife, Betty and had an especially close relationship with his three brothers.


Noble enjoyed inspiring young people in the ways of agriculture and was involved in 4-H and the Future Farmers of America. He loved life, especially his relationship with the land, and spent countless hours on horseback, appreciating the freedom of a landowner and the beauty around him. He was an inspiration to all who knew him and will be missed by his family and many friends.


Noble passed away suddenly on Tuesday evening, March 10, 2009 at St. Alexius Medical Center in Bismarck at the age of 93 years, 3 months, 14 days.


Keeping him in their fondest memories are his 3 sons and daughters-in-law, Noel and Marianne Peterson, Canton, SD; Rollin Peterson, Sedalia, CO; Wade and Vickie Peterson, Lemmon, SD; two daughters and sons-in-law, Gail and Gary Ericsson, Lemmon, SD; Zona and Randy Peterson-White, Springdale, AR; 8 grandchildren, Brett Ericsson, Brenda Laurenti, Karla Kristianson, Shannon Peterson, Michelle Peterson, Sean Peterson, Scott Sittner, Shane Peterson; 6 great-grandchildren: Chantal, Macayla and Sean Cain, Justice Sittner, Gianna Laurenti, and Alyssa Peterson; 1 brother, Roman Peterson, Almont, ND; two sisters-in-law, Monica Peterson, Dickinson, ND, and Eunice Nasset, Fargo, ND; and numerous nieces and nephews.


He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Betty on December 31, 2007, two brothers, Gilman and Stewart, two brothers-in-law, Erling and Robert Nasset, four sisters-in-law, Beatrice Peterson, Lillian Peterson, Virginia Peterson and Shirley Nasset.