RECORDS

Database Search

You are in the database section of the website.

Select a record category from RECORDS above. When you have selected a category, you will see search options for that category above the record list. 

Most fields require at least three characters. When you submit your query, the search engine will return all records that contain your search term.

Note that when searching for an aircraft serial number, you must enter the full serial number without the leading "4" and without a dash in the Aircraft SN search field. For example, you would enter 42-37772 as 237772.

The Personnel name field searches both last and first names, so if you enter the search term, "Russ", the search engine will return both Russell Abel and James Russell.

You narrow the search by entering more characters into the search field. For example, "Russ" returns many hits. "Russell" returns fewer hits. The same principle applies to all queries.

The POW and KIA categories are list only and are not searchable.

LT  Richard J. HEH

UNIT: 351st BOMB Sqdn POSITION: NAV 

Lt Richard J. Heh (courtesy of the Heh family)

SERIAL #: O-814310 STATUS: POW
MACR: 04866 CR: 04866

Comments1: 11 MAY 44 LIEGE, BELGIUM (PITTSBURGH, PA) (FLAK)

COMMENTS & NOTES

MEMO 1:

CREW

2nd Lt Jack Hunter                    P   KIA     11/5/44  LIEGE, BELGIUM
2nd Lt George W.Shoesmith     CP   KIA     11/5/44  LIEGE, BELGIUM 
2nd Lt Richard J.Heh            NAV    POW   11/5/44  LIEGE, BELGIUM
 2nd Lt Murray J.Lirette        BOM    POW   11/5/44  LIEGE, BELGIUM 
S/Sgt Spiro Lecouras             R0G    KIA     11/5/44 LIEGE, BELGIUM
S/Sgt Arthur L.Wellingham     TTE    KIA     11/5/44  LIEGE, BELGIUM
Sgt Ernest D.Medhurst          BTG    CPT    6/10/44  BERLIN                  
Sgt Robert H.Kuehl              LWG    KIA    11/5/44  LIEGE, BELGIUM
 Sgt Samuel J.Martiello         RWG    WIA    8/5/44  LaGLACERIE
 Sgt Herbert S.South            TG    POW   11/5/44  LIEGE, BELGIUM 

FLEW A/C 42-39983 "KATIE"

351st Sqdn. Crew,as above,joined the 100th Group on 5/4/44. On 11/5/44,S/Sgts Charley L.Anglin,BTG and John Rupnick,RWG,were flying in place of Martiello & Medhurst and both were KIA. Both Anglin & Rupnick were listed  on the crew of R.V.E. Monrad on 8/3/44.Rupnick was originally on the M.E.Beatty crew when it  joined the 100th on 6/9/43. Immediately after bombs were released,A/C received a direct flak hit in wing at #1 engine. Part of wing blown off & A/C went down in flaming spin. Heh,Lirette and South were blown out of A/C. South suffered a compound fracture of a leg when blown from a/c.

Martiello wounded in the "seat" on 8/5/44 (according to diary entry of Wellingham. See letter from E.D.Medhurst dated Dec.1986. Welllngham kept journal of missions from 12/4/44 to 8/5/44. He was killed on next mission on 11/5/44.  

EYEWITNESS "Our A/C #983 received a direct hit from flak in the wing at the No#1 engine. A few seconds after bombs away. Part of the wing was shot off and the A/C went down in a flaming spin, hitting near marshalling yards and exploded. Two (2) chutes were seen"  The author of this eyewitness report is not listed in the MACR…jb

Statement by Lt Richard J. Heh:     "The plane received a direct hit by flak whick knocked off part of the right wing and set fire to the plane. The plane started spinning and the centrifugal force was so great I could not move to bail out. After a few seconds the gas tanks exploded and blew the  bombardier and myself out of the plane. (We had already dropped our bombs) I later met the tail gunner, Herbert South, on the ground who altough injuried bailed out himself. As for the other men I have no knowledge regarding their distiny. I had no contact with the missing men after the plane was hit. I never regained conciousness until I fell through the air about 10,000 feet."  In a later statement Heh mentions Herbert South had sustained a compond fracture of a leg before he bailed out.


German Reports:  Notes Lt Murray Lirette committed to the hospital on 13 May 1944 and states the dead buried at the Luffwaffe Cementary at Trond air base.

Date Crew Nbr Mission Nbr Last Name Initial Rank Position Aircraft Nbr Target
5/7/1944 25 111 HUNTER J. LT P 39983 BERLIN
5/8/1944 25 112 HUNTER J. LT P 39983 BERLIN & LAGLACERIE
5/8/1944 25 112 HUNTER J. LT P 39983 BERLIN & LAGLACERIE
5/11/1944 25 115 HUNTER J. LT P 39983 LIEGE

MEMO 2:

View Richard Heh's Pow Journal Here (courtesy of Mike Heh)

Part 1: https://100thbg.com/images/Diaries/Richard%20Heh%20POW%20Journal%20Part%201.pdf

Part 2: https://100thbg.com/images/Diaries/Richard%20Heh%20POW%20Journal%20Part%202.pdf

KIA / MIA / EVA / INT INFORMATION:

TARGET: Liege DATE: 1944-05-11  
AIRCRAFT: "Katie" (42-39983) CAUSE: FLAK  

BURIAL INFORMATION

PLOT: ROW:  
GRAVE: CEMETERY:  

PHOTOS:

Lt Richard J. Heh stateside in 1943 (courtesy of the Heh family)

Lt Richard J. Heh (courtesy of the Heh family)

Lt Richard J. Heh (courtesy of the Heh family)

Lt Richard J. Heh and his sister Helen (courtesy of the Heh family)

Lt Richard J. Heh under the nose of a B-17 (courtesy of the Heh family)

Raymond and Richard Heh (courtesy of the Heh family)

Lt Richard J. Heh; the Empire State Building is in the background (courtesy of the Heh family)

Lt Richard J. Heh on horseback, stateside in 1943 (courtesy of the Heh family)

Members of the Jack Hunter crew attending a wedding (photo courtesy of the Heh family)

 

SERVED IN:

Crew 1

ID: 2262