Sgt Peder Heller 93rd BG s/n 37303203

[Alex Smart]

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

[kaki3152]

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

[Alex Smart]

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

[Alex Smart]

So the search continues for the other two episodes ?

[kaki3152]

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

[Leendert]

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

[Leendert]

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

Leendert

[RSwank]

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.

[Alex Smart]

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.

[kaki3152]

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.