Pete Ebersole was born on June 2, 1924, in New York City, New York. He entered a Civilian Pilot Detachment for training in July 1943, enlisted in the Aviation Cadet Program of the U.S. Army Air Forces in September 1943, and was commissioned a 2d Lt and awarded his pilot wings on September 8, 1944. After completing B-17 Flying Fortress training, Lt Ebersole was assigned to the 709th Bomb Squadron of the 447th Bomb Group in England in December 1944. He flew 35 combat missions before the war in Europe ended, and he returned to the U.S. in September 1945. Lt Ebersole was discharged from the Army Air Forces on December 6, 1945.

High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long delirious, burning blue,
I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew -
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untresspassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.