1st Lt. Frederic "Fred" G. Hargesheimer
8th Photographic Reconnaissance (8th PRS) F-5 Lightning Pilot

Wartime History
Frederic Grant Hargesheimer was born May 7, 1916 in Rochester, Olmsted County, Minnesota. Nicknamed "Fred". He attended four years of college and worked as an architect.

Wartime History
On August 18, 1941 he enlisted at Fort Knox into the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as an aviation cadet with Army serial number 32063187. After earning his wings he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant.

During early 1942, Hargesheimer was assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Group (6th PRG), 8th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron (8th PRS) "Eight Ballers". In the squadron, he was nicknamed "Hargey".

On September 14, 1942 he flew F-4 Lightning 41-2098 from Melbourne to Townsville. As a F-5 Lightning pilot, he flew photographic reconnaissance missions from 14 Mile Drome (Schwimmer) near Port Moresby over Japanese occupied areas of New Guinea and New Britain.

Mission History
On June 5, 1943 Hargesheimer took off piloting F-5A "Eager Beaver" 42-13073 on a mission over the West New Britain and was shot down by a Ki-45 Nick. He bailed out and landed in the jungle, where he barely survived for 31 days until found by local hunters who cared for him. Later, he was taken to the camp of Australian Commandos who arranged his rescue, along with other American and Australian aviators from behind enemy lines. On February 5, 1944 rescued by USS Gato (SS-212) and returned to duty.

Postwar
Back in America, Hargesheimer wondered what he could to to repay the villagers who had saved his life. Hargesheimer concluded that education and health services would be his gifts to the Nakanai people. Postwar, he saved and returned to New Guinea in 1960 and in 1964 donated money to establish two schools: Ewasse Airmen's Memorial school and the Noau Primary school in West New Britain.  He and his wife even lived among the people to serve as teachers.  A health center was dedicated in 1969, with an oil palm plantation to fund the projects. Nearly every year, he returns to visit the school until July 2004. In 2006, he returned to New Britain to visit the crash site of his aircraft that had been discovered by locals.

Memorials
Hargesheimer passed away on December 23, 2010 in Lincoln, Nebraska and was cremated. He is survived by his son Richard and daughters Carol and Mary Louise Gibson plus eight grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.

References
NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Frederic G. Hargesheimer
E&E Report No. 34 - Frederic G. Hargesheimer pages 1-9
FredHargesheimer biographical website
70,000 to One (1947) by Quentin James Reynolds mentions Hargesheimer
Hostages to Freedom (1995) mentions Hargesheimer
UMN "Shot down over Papua New Guinea in '43, Minnesota native visits PNG project headquarters at the U" by G. Marty September 23, 1999 via Wayback Machine September 1, 2006
The Eight Ballers Eyes of the Fifth Air Force (1999) pages 10 (photo), 71 (June 5, 1943), 102-104 (Escape and Evasion: The Eight Month Ordeal of Fred Hargesheimer)
(Page 71) "Saturday June 5 [1943] Once again we face an empty chair as word comes from Dobodura that Lt. Frederic Hargesheimer has been missing since 1700 o'clock this evening. Our finest reconnaissance pilot and one of the mainstays around which this squadron has been built, he will be sorely missed."
The National "The Cheif Warrior" October 13, 2000
The School That Fell From the Sky (2002) by Fred Hargesheimer
Paradise Magazine May-June Issue (2006) by Cecilie Benjamin
AP "WWII Pilot who forever repaid rescuers died" December 23, 2010 via Wayback Machine December 24, 2010
New York Times "Fred Hargesheimer, Who Repaid His Rescuers, Dies at 94" December 23, 2010
FindAGrave - Lieut Frederic Grant “Fred” Hargesheimer (photos, obituary)
Thanks to Frederic "Fred" G. Hargesheimer for additional information