Hickmeyer Alva A. 370th FG, 2 Sep 1944

[pointedeflèche]

Hello,

On the 2nd of September 1944, 2nd Lt. Alva A. Hickmeyer of the 485th FS was brought down by small arms fire 4 miles south of Louvain, Belgium. Lt. Hickmeyer was flying on only his third mission. He parachuted from his damaged plane and landed safely. Lt. Hickmeyer made contact with Belgian civilians who hid him for two days. They made arrangements to put him into Allied hands. An English liaison plane made a covert landing near his hiding place and flew him to safety in Brussels, which had just been liberated by the British.

Can anyone provide me with more information pertaining to 2nd Lt. Alva A. Hickmeyer.
Is he still alive?
What was his Army Service Number?
What was the serial number of the P-38 he flew that day?
Is there an Escape and Evasion Report for Hickmeyer?

I myself live south of Leuven (Louvain) and I’m eager to learn who the Belgian people were who hid him for two days and in which village south of Louvain his P-38 crashed.

Any information with regard to Hickmeyer is much appreciated
I thank you in advance for your answer,

Dirk

[Alain57]

Hello Dirk ,

In the USAAF Overseas accidents Reports there is no sign of this Lt Hickmeyer. I can tell you that the 370FG was flying from Laon A-70 airfield.

Greetings
Alain

[Flupke]

Hello Dirk
It was the 2nd Lt Eichmeyer Alva A. (EVD)O-1101422
He was on the P-38J-10-LO #42-67988 (to check!) shot down by ground fire while strafing column on the road Nivelles Wavre at 16:20 and crashed at Thines near Nivelles the 2/9/1944
No MACR establish because he return nearly immediately
Regards
Phil

[pointedeflèche]

Hello Flupke,

You are absolutely right! The pilot’s surname was in fact Eichmeyer and not Hickmeyer as I stated before.

I read the above-mentioned account about "Hickmeyer" and Louvain on page 163 of Jay Jones' book : "The 370th Fighter Group in World War II". On page 413 the author refers to that same pilot as Eichmeyer.

page 413: "2 Sep.1944 2nd Lt. Alva A. Eichmeyer from Riverside, California. O-110142. 485th Squadron. Lt. Eichmeyer was shot down but evaded capture. He was transferred stateside."

Flupke, may I ask you what source you consulted with regard to Thines - the village were his P-38 crashed?

I thank you for your kind help.
Dirk

[Flupke]

Hello Dirk

Quite difficult to give my source on the forum but as far as I know one of the person involved is still alive and the crash place is well known , if you need to know more on this event that will be offline .
Just one note the real name should be Eickmeyer according to the war department file , he was killed in the US during a transfer flight but I have not the date .
Regards
Phil

[Luc Vervoort]

Hi Dirk and Flupke,

Alva Alvon Eickmeyer was born on 18/11/1917.He enlisted in the US Army on 3/03/1941 and died on 11/11/1944. He is buried at Wild Rose Cemetery, Wild Rose, Spoke county, Washington. On August 31,1944 he had a landing accident in France while flying P38J 42-68185.

Best regards from another part of Belgium

Luc

[pointedeflèche]

Hi Luc,

Thanks for the great information!

Dirk

[Atcham Tower]

2Lt Alva Eickmeyer (spelling in accident report) was killed with ten other passengers and the two crew of C-47B 43-16143 when it flew into Strawberry Peak, 14 miles north of Glendale, Calif. 11/11/44. On a transport flight from Hamilton Field, San Rafael, Calif via a stop at Bakersfield. Encountered bad weather after taking off from Bakersfield for Mines Field, Los Angeles (today's KLAX) and lost radio contact. Pilot let down too soon before clearing the high ground. Source is Anthony J Mireles' incredible - but depressing - three-volume Fatal Army Air Forces Accidents in the US 1941-1945. Off topic is the fact that there is much in here about RAF cadet fatalities in the USA, as well as fates of many aircraft originally destined for the RAF and carrying that service's serial numbers.

[Luc Vervoort]

Many thanks for the detailed information regarding the fatal accident of Alva Eickmeyer. Are the names of the crew and other passengers also known ? Any idea about the unit of the C47 ?

Best regards from Belgium !

Luc

[Atcham Tower]

The one weak point of the accidents books is that units are not listed. I suggest the C-47 would have belonged to an AAF Base Unit. Maybe the one at Hamilton Field. The crew were Capt Rae C Kelly (pilot) and 2Lt Carl Hankle. Passengers: Maj John G Anderson III, Maj Thomas W Mackey, 1Lt Hugh G Cramer, 1Lt Dan B Field, 2Lt Gertrude Maschoff, Eickmeyer, MSgt Harold Peterson,Jr, SSgt Francis E Ward, Cpl Manuel G Garcia, Cpl Kenneth C Bedford, Pharmacist Mate 3rd Class Buford B Chism (US Navy).

Further details for you: "Investigation revealed that the pilot was given inadequate weather and wind information at Bakersfield prior to take-off. The erroneous wind information caused the airplane to be off course and over mountainous terrain when the pilots began to let down through instrument conditions."

Glad to help!