Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

In my hometown, there was a book published some years ago titled "Central Coast Aviators in WWII". Among the stories in this book, Ex Sgt Heller narrated how he was the sole survivor of his crew on three occasions His first one, he was the tail gunner on a flak damaged B-24. He fell asleep on the return home When the B-24 arrived at base, it made a hard landing and the tail section broke off, leaving Sgt Heller safe. The second one was when his B-24 was damaged on a raid to France. It ditched in the Channel and Sgt Heller was thrown clear through the waist window. The B-24 hit some rocks and blew up, killing the rest of the crew. The final was when his B-24crashed on takeoff The crew escaped but failed to clear the area around the B-24 and when the bombs went off, the crew was killed. Any further information would be welcome.

Re: Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

Hi,
Have to ask. Were all three events while he was with the 93rd BG ?
Alex

Re: Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

From"findagrave" -
Born 30/12/1916
Died 20/03/1996
Photo shows B24 with crew, a/c name "Teggie Ann" .
There was more than one.
41-23754 was interned in Turkey in August '43.
"Teggie Ann II" 41-23999

Re: Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

I do not know if these all happened with the 93rd BG

Re: Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

Several ditched in the English Channel/Bay of Biscay.
41-23732, 41-24025, 41-24122, 42-41004, 42-50628, 42-50829, 42-64433, 44-50697.
42-50597 - "Beaver's Baby" 16/12/44 blew up, Bomb(s) on the ground .Could be his last mentioned.
All were 93 BG.

Re: Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

A Newspaper story on Heller in two parts. A few more details:

https://www.newspapers.com/article/t...une/181165975/

https://www.newspapers.com/article/t...une/181165740/

Re: Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

Hi Alex. 42-50597 crashed on take-off on 19 Dec 44 (Mission 756) at Hardwick in fog (bad weather generally); all 11 crew killed . Pilot 1/lt. R W Marx; the 11 names are on a memorial by the road .
I could only find 1 Heller on the 93rd roster, 2/Lt. Eugene Heller.


Nick

Re: Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

41-23732 "Liberty Lass" shot down 16 April 43, 7 KIA, 3 POW.
41-24025 "Satan's Chariot" missing 31 March 43, 10 MIA.
41-24122 "Missouri Sue" shot down 16 April 43, 10 KIA
42-41004 "The Urgin' Virgin" shot down 13 Nov. 43, 10 KIA.
42-50628 shot down 3 Feb.45, 6 KIA, 3 POW.
42-50829 ditched Channel 18 Sept. 44, 8 KIA, 3 rescued by launch.
42-64433 ditched Channel 31 Dec. 43, 6 KIA, 4 rescued.
44-50697 shot down 5 April 45, all 9 KIA.


Nick
At least 6 bombers came down in the Channel on 31 Dec.43, bad weather.

Re: Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

Had a look through "The Mighty Eighth Combat Chronology " and "Heavy Bombers of the Mighty Eighth".
Came up with the following 93rd BG/409 BS B24's that may be of interest in regard to the "late 1944", first(?) event.

November '44.
5th - 42-95024 - RFO - CL - Fire - Shipmendon - 2 Kia.
11th - 42-110036 - FTR - LOC (409 BS ?).

December '44.
11th - 42-94965 - RFO - CR.
12th - 42-94880 - FTR - LOC ( But ZOI 2/7/45 New Mexico).
16th - 42-50597 - NOPS - Bomb Exploded.
19th - serial number ? - TOA - CL Alburgh - 9 Kia.
27th - 42-100413 - FTR - LOC.
31st - 42-51533 - details ?

CL - Crash landed ,pilot had control of aircraft.
FTR - Failed to Return.
LOC - Landed on the Continent behind friendly lines.
TOA - Incident occurred during Take Off or during assembly.
NOPS- Non-Operational Sortie.
RFO - Returned from Operational activity.


Alex

Re: Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

Hi Nick,
Thanks for the details.
Now that Swank's post has provided the newspaper cutting 's ( sadly I could only view the 1st page) it seems that Heller's first near death event took place around "late 1944" if I read it correctly. Which follows that the other two events were in 1945.
All the best
Alex

Re: Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

With regards to The 93rd BG airmen named Heller. I found two , both officers.
Could not find this Heller at all , not even in the NARA enlistment lists, service number "unknown". ¹

Re: Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

He is listed in the Air Medal section of the national Archives as:
HELLER, PEDER, 37303203 [S/N], S/SGT, AIR CORPS
RFD #8, Williston, SD"

He was awarded a DFC in May 1944.

In the 1940 census his parents are noted as having been born in Norway.

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/1333...objectPage=167

His Draft Registration is on FOLD3, but I'm not a paying member anymore so I can't "see it"

Locally, he ran a boat shop in Arroyo Grande, CA until his death in 1996. The stories cited above came from an article in the San Luis Tribune [local newspaper] in 1996

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/1394...objectPage=981

Re: Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

Hi, thanks for these pages. Cannot understand why that site did not recognise the name or service number when I entered them yesterday ?
Alex

Re: Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

So the search continues for the other two episodes ?

Re: Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

Alex, I have found that it is best to go to the National Archives to determine such data as Air Medals and DFC awards.

Re: Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

What crashes S/Sgt Heller survived remains open. Still some info distilled from NARA Record Group 64 (Morning Reports) about his movements. He was at Buckley Fld, CO, till mid-Jan 1943 with 769th Technical School Squadron as Pvt. Transferred to Laredo, TX, for Aerial Gunnery Training. Received promotion to S/Sgt upon completion of training.

Then a jump to 1944 when on 15 Aug he's transferred from 409th BS/93rd BG to a Replacement Control Depot in Lancashire. Sails to the US on 'Outgoing Transport TA-144' late August. First is at Reception Sta # 7 at Fort Sheridan, IL and from there on 19 Sept to HQ 1020th AAFBU, Miami Beach, FL, where he's posted till 24 October and is transferred to Trg Cmd 3705th AAFBU, Lowry Field, CO.
Later Reports not online.

Leendert

Re: Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

An interesting list of lost and salvaged 93rd BG B-24s here: https://digitalarchive.2ndair.org.uk...mc_371-084x001

Leendert

Re: Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

Another date regarding Heller is his marriage to Marilyn Sonderquist on 1 October 1944 in a civil ceremony in Richland Montana.

I am beginning to think maybe only his first tour was with the 93rd BG.

Re: Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

The following are those of the 409th for 1945.
January 10th - 41 - 50362 - FTR - CL.
February 25th - ? - FTR - LOC.
February 27th - 42-51305 - FTR - LOC - SAL 20/03/45.
5th March - 42-100334 - FTR.
27th March - 42-94814 - NOPS - SAL 26/5/45 - ZOI 28/10/45.
30th March - 42-51241 - TOA - SAL 31/3/45.
31st March - ? - TOA - CR - South Cove - 9 KIA.
10th April - 42-51598 - SAL 27/5/45- ZOI.
26th April - 42-50781 - NOPS - CL - SAL 27/4/45- ZOI.

Re: Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

It appears that he did a combat tour with the 409th BS, 93rd BG and after his transfer to the ZI (USA), he stayed in the USA. The DFC awarded on May 31st,1944 in interesting.

Re: Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

I think his adventures are a little earlier. His second episode refers to a mission to French Marshalling Yards, which places it in 1944.

Re: Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

The Tara Copp site for the 376 BG makes no mention of him, and I looked through the lists of names from Pfc's to S/Sgt's.

https://www.americanairmuseum.com/ar...edia-55315jpeg

So his connection with Teggie Ann is questionable. Maybe it was just a photo he chose for the news cutting ?

Re: Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

In regard to the award card shown in post 12.
What is the explanation for the hand written notes -
1 - 54
1 - 203
1 - 308.
Thanks,
Alex

Re: Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

no insult intended, could this WW2 events story be fake ?
sorry again !

Re: Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

It's a possibility. Many veterans "expanded" on their experiences

Re: Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

possibly his Yugoslavia story in here:


"20 Best little stories (#14) - Peder Heller in Yugoslavia - article in paper: Peder Heller Leaps In…, 1988-1999"


https://www.history.nd.gov/archives/...58_Box008.html

Re: Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

Heller, Clayton E, was a crewman on the Ploestie "TidalcWave" operation.

Re: Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

From the Ploeisti "Tidak Wave " Crews List there was a Heller -
See -
Heller, Clayton E - S/Sgt - 17058569. He was LW Gunner Concordia Kansas - WG (Shannon) 44 BG.
B-24 , 42-40373 -"Z" - "Natchez Belle", 44 BG, MACR 3558. Captain : named Shannon.

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/s/?...24c1&safe=1&zw

https://www.scribd.com/document/1997...ct-No-63-crews

Re: Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

There was also 2Lt.Eugene Heller with the 93rd BG.

Re: Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

Peder Hellers story
Heller flew with the 409th Squadron of the Army Air Force’s 93rd Bomb Group between May 1942 and September 1945. Most of his missions were flown in the “Teggie Ann,” named for his commanding officer Ted Timberlake’s daughter.
But That Teggie Ann was 41-23754 and was Interned in Turkey during August '43.
Maybe he flew in her before the Tidal Wave event ?
Read more at: https://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/l...#storylink=cpy

But in earlier post wasn't it said that he was returned to the USA by ship in late August, '44 ?

But all that said, he must have done something otherwise he would not have received those military honours , which are verified as shown in an earlier post.

Re: Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

From JB's serial numbers website -
41-23754 (93rd BG, 409th BS, "Little Lady") landed in Turkey Aug 1, 1943 after Ploesti raid and interned. This plane was first B-24 to fly over occupied Europe on missin to Fives-Lille Steelworks Oct 9, 1942.
So how can we find her early crews names ?

Also I came across this -
41-23728 "Hot Stuff", 93BG/330BS. Pilot Frank M, SHANNON, Flying to the USA on 3rd May, '43 flew into a mountain in Iceland.
One report says there was only one surviver, the Tail Gunner.��

41-23728 (93rd BG, 330th BS, *Hot Stuff*) was the first American heavy bomber to achieve 25 missions in WW2. It crashed on Mt Fagradalsfjlall in Iceland May 3, 1943 on the way back to USA. General Frank M Andrews (commander of US forces in Eurpoean theatre of operations) was killed, along with all others aboard the aircraft except the tail gunner, who was found alive in the wreckage. Andrews AFB in Maryland is named in his honor.

However Mighty 8th Combat Chronology has "10 RTD" ?
How to find crew/passengers ?

Re: Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

Alex, according to this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_Stuff_(aircraft)

the surviving tail gunner was George Eisel.

Re: Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

With the risk of this thread becoming a wild goose chase, S/Sgt. Heller also received an Air Medal, dated 31 Dec 1943: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/1394...ect-thumb--981

Please note that Williston is in ND, not SD.

Perhaps the 93rd BG Association (https://www.93bg.com/) and/or 93rd BG Museum (http://www.93rd-bg-museum.org/data/base.htm) can help.

Leendert

Re: Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

Hi Leendert,
Looked at the 93BG site,
It seems that it is slowly getting up and hopefully in time may be able to help
Perhaps a private post to the websites bosses may get a result though ?.
Alex

Re: Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

From the WWW,
Campaign Streamer Campaign Dates Notes

Antisubmarine 1 March 1942 – 13 August 1942 409th Bombardment Squadron.

Egypt-Libya 16 December 1942 – 12 February 1943 409th Bombardment Squadron.

Air Offensive, Europe 7 September 1942 – 5 June 1944 409th Bombardment Squadron.

Tunisia 12 November 1942 – 13 May 1943 409th Bombardment Squadron.

Sicily 14 May 1943 – 17 August 1943 409th Bombardment Squadron.

Naples-Foggia 18 August 1943 – 21 January 1944 409th Bombardment Squadron.

Normandy 6 June 1944 – 24 July 1944 409th Bombardment Squadron.

Northern France 25 July 1944 – 14 September 1944 409th Bombardment Squadron.

Rhineland 15 September 1944 – 21 March 1945 409th Bombardment Squadron.

Ardennes-Alsace 16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945 409th Bombardment Squadron.

Central Europe 22 March 1944 – 21 May 1945 409th Bombardment Squadron.

Air Combat, EAME Theater 7 September 1942 – 11 May 1945 409th Bombardment Squadron..

May help pin down where he was for the awards ?

Re: Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

Re: Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

Hi FrankieS,
As Swank had said in his post( number 32 ) the name of the sole survivor of the aircraft you provided details of was - surviving tail gunner was George Eisel.
Our search is for Sgt.Peder Heller.

Re: Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203
 

Have just checked the 13 93BG/409BS MACR's where pilots were killed.
MACR's
1607;2178;2183;2192;2193;2907;16602;4828;5018;7897 ;10359;15463;12009.
Earliest date was 43/07/23.
None of those crews was named Heller.

There are 4 aircraft (non combat) that had fatalities.
They were :
42-100363 - 44/03/13 - UK - MACR 5018.
42-50597 - 44/12/19 - UK - MACR 15463.
42-100334 - 45/03/05 - Pilot : Reed R E. - UK - 5 KIA.
42-51241 - 45/03/31 - Pilot: Tucker, M L. - UK - 3 KIA.

So maybe Heller's events were earlier than July '43 although doesn'the seem to suggest at least one was in late(?) 1944 ?

As an extra,.In "Second Air Division " (Turner) by Ray Strong & J R Uttal
Peder Heller is noted on page 147 in the 2nd Air Division Roster as being with the 93BG.

Alex