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PADutchman
1st Lieutenant
Posts: 52
Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2008 11:20 pm

Greetings,

Post by PADutchman »

My father had first enlisted in the 11 Field Artillery Battery C in 1937 at Schofield Barracks. Then upon his discharge on March 15, 1940 he immediately re-enlisted this time in the 11 TH Bomber Group Heavy the 42 Squadron.

He rose in rack to Tech. Sgt. Armorer 911 (P) / Gunner and was at the Attack on Hickam. With others he patrolled the Hawaiian Islands until they went after the Japanese in Spring of 1942.

Their 42 Squadron fought at Midway, Santos, the Solomon Islands and other campaigns of the Pacific. On February 1, 1943 the 42 Squadron sent out their last three B-17s with one from the 72 Squadron. All three planes and crews of the 42 Squadron were lost the one from the 72 crashed landed on a beach.

My father is in the book "Grey Geese Calling" on page nine and I believe 15. I am including his copy of the photo on page nine because the names are written on his.

He is sitting in the front row middle on the sand with the helmet at his feet.

I had been trying to locate anyone who might have served with him. I did meet and speak to three men he helped train in 1943 to go back into the Pacific to replace all his buddies who never came home.

He was Raymond A. Heilman, JR, T/Sgt. US Army Air Corp 1940-1945
US Field Artillery Battery "C" 1937-1940
Attachments
Names on the photo from the Pacific in 1942, the 42 Squadron the 11 BGH
Names on the photo from the Pacific in 1942, the 42 Squadron the 11 BGH
GreyGeeseCalling2A.jpg (49.07 KiB) Viewed 5072 times
He is called "Bud" and always was, he hated being a JR.
He is called "Bud" and always was, he hated being a JR.
GreyGeeseCallingTSBud.jpg (81.28 KiB) Viewed 5071 times

Mr.Chris
1st Lieutenant
Posts: 65
Joined: Sat Jun 25, 2005 8:30 pm

Re: Greetings,

Post by Mr.Chris »

Dear sir:

I'm sorry to hear about your dad where was his squadron based when it was lost? What mission were they on when they didn't return?

Thanks,

Chris

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