Captain Byron "Dutch" Heichel
Pilot B-17F "Reckless Mountain Boys" 41-24518 and Prisoner Of War (POW)

Background
Byron Luther Heichel was born March 17, 1916 in Tripoli, Iowa and grew up in Mount Vernon, Washington State. Nicknamed "Dutch".

Wartime History
Heichel enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as an aviation cadet. He graduated flight school Class of 41-E in May 1941 earned his wings and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant with serial number O-421699. His first assignment was with the 6th Air Force (6th AF) in the Canal Zone (CZ) where he met and married Julie Grace Heichel in Guatemala. He was promoted to the rank of 1st Lieutenant and sent overseas to Australia.

Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 43rd Bombardment Group (43rd BG) "Ken's Men", 63rd Bombardment Squadron (63rd BS) as a B-17 Flying Fortress pilot. During early October 1942, 1st Lt. Heichel flew bombing missions with 19th Bombardment Group (19th BG) based at Mareeba Airfield flying missions from 7 Mile Drome near Port Moresby flying bombing missions in the South West Pacific Area (SWPA).

On November 2, 1942 was scheduled to fly a strike mission with Lt. O'Brien but their B-17 had engine trouble and did not take off. On November 12, 1942 at 1:30am took off as one of four B-17s on a bombing mission against Tonolei Harbor off Bougainville. On November 13, 1942 at 1:00am took off piloting B-17F "Ka-Puhio-Wela" 41-24356 as one of seven B-17s on another bombing mission against Tonolei Harbor off Bougainville. In the middle of December 1942, promoted to the rank of Captain. On April 19, 1943 took off as one of six B-17s on bombing mission against shipping off Wewak.


Mission History
On May 7, 1943 took off from 7 Mile Drome near Port Moresby piloting B-17F "Reckless Mountain Boys" 41-24518 without any bomb load on a solo photograph reconnaissance mission over Kavieng.

Over the target area, six A6M2 Zeros from the 253 Kōkūtai that took off from Kavieng Airfield to intercept this bomber. The Zeros made firing passes that hit the no. 2 engine setting it on fire, knocked off the ball turret door and badly wounded gunner Vetter. Pilot Heichel dove down to sea level to avoid being attacked from below and headed southward until the the no. 2 engine failed. Repeated attacks by the Zeros disabled the no. 1 engine. During the attacks, Linsley, Bleiler and Fleiger were hit by gunfire and killed. Three others: Ethridge, Vetter and Mangett were severely wounded.

Prisoner Of War (POW)
Afterwards, the crew made their way ashore with the help of native people and hidden before the Japanese arrived at the crash site. Rudolf Diercke the German manager of Komlu Plantation wrote a note in English that was delivered to the crew. It read: "I am a German, and I can vouch for the intentions of the Japanese. It is best that you surrender your arms to the native boy and come to us. We are gentleman and have no desire to maltreat you. Three of your fellow crew members found dead in the airplane have been buried with a simple ceremony in the kanaka [native] cemetery." Realizing resistance was futile, the entire crew complied with the note and surrendered to the Japanese. Immediately, a stretcher was provided for each prisoner. Each many was searched, interrogated and guarded.

The officers: Heichel, Rucks, and Mangett were carried on stretchers northward across the mountains to Karu then by truck to Kavieng for interrogation. Afterwards, the officers were transported to Rabaul and reunited with the rest of the crew at the Japanese Navy POW Camp at Rabaul operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) Keibitai (Naval Special Police), 81st Naval Guard Unit.

On July 14, 1943 the remaining crew members: Heichel, Surrett, Etheridge, Fritz and Kurisko plus SSgt Paul J. Cascio, Jr. radio B-17E "Flagship Texas No. VI / Strip-Straffer" 41-9207 were embarked aboard a ship and transported to Truk arriving three days later and were again interrogated. Enroute, Fritz and Kurisko died. Afterwards, Heichel, Surrett, Etheridge and Cascio were transported to Japan.

Heichel, Rucks, Surrett and Etheridge were interned at Ofuna Camp near Yokohama and were beaten, interrogated and labored until the end of the Pacific War. All four survived captivity. Heichel was liberated on October 2, 1945 from Osaka Main Camp Chikko Osaka 34-135 and returned to the United States.

Memorials
Heichel passed away on April 2, 2013 at age 97. He is buried at Arlington Municipal Cemetery in Arlington, WA with military honors.

Relatives
Julie Grace Heichel (wife of Heichel)

Lynda Peck (daughter of Heichel)
"You brought tears to my eyes. Dad said something to all us last weekend as we read looked at those pictures. It went something like this: You kids standing in this room don’t ever have to apologize for that war or your right to live in this country. Your right to live here has been bought and paid for personally by me. He looks at those pictures and says it seems like a dream, so long ago. He says, 'I can’t believe it happened to me'."

References
NARA World War II Prisoners of War Data File - Byron L. Heichel
The Herald "Obituary Byron Luther Heichel" April 4, 2013
"Byron was born March 17, 1916 in Tripoli, Iowa, one of seven children; he went to be with his heavenly Father April 2, 2013. Though his family grieves, we know he is with his Creator. Byron served his country during World War II in the Air Force as a pilot. He was shot down and captured by the Japanese, and was a prisoner of war for two and a half years. He was honorably discharged as a Major.
He is survived by his loving wife of 71 years, Julie; children, Susan Christianson, Nadine Heichel, Lynda
(Michael) Peck and Byron Jr. (Rita) Heichel; and five grandchildren, Chad, Chip, Sarah, Brett and Rachel.
A military graveside service will be held Saturday, April 6, 2013, 11:00 a.m. at the Arlington Cemetery. A gathering will follow at the family home in Stanwood."
FindAGrave - Byron Luther Heichel (grave photo)
Ken’s Men Against The Empire The Illustrated History of the 43rd Bombardment Group During World War II Volume I: Prewar to October 1943 The B-17 Era (2016) pages 68 (Heichel missions with 19th BG October 1942), 73 (Heichel November 2, 1942), 78 (Heichel November 12-13, 1942 missions), 94 (Heichel promoted to Captain), 175 (April 19, 1943 mission), 178-183 (May 7, 1943 mission), 188 (Japanese radio broadcast May 13, 1943 about downing of B-17 on May 8, 1943), 199 (POWs to Truk), 349 (photo Heichel), 350 (Heichel missions 11/12/42, 11/13/42, 12/6/42 missions), 371 (Heichel 4/15/43 Gasmata), 382 (index Heichel)
Thanks to Byron L. "Dutch" Heichel, Lynda Peck for additional information