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Philip Johnson-Family
to remember
Heckel, Charles, Col USAF(Ret).
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Contact Info
Home Town Decatur, IL
Last Address 6705 Brookfield Rd Columbia, SC 29206
Date of Passing Sep 22, 2015
Location of Interment Fort Jackson National Cemetery (VA) - Columbia, South Carolina
Best Friends Arrived in ETO, 10 hours flying in theatre training Started at A-72 , Peronne,FR. Moved forward to A-78 Florennes BG.
Oct 6, 1944 OFFLASH 186 Mission. dropped bombs in support of grounfd ops, wingman for flight leader Col Darling
Oct 13, 1944 OFFLASH 189 Mission Fighter sweep, No E/A. Three other planes in flight hit with flack. Not Heckel
Snd Mission of Day OFFLSH190 Mission Fighter Sweep. Over 36 P-38 plus some 47s and 51s against about 75 ME and FW. 13 Enemy Vics, 3 P-38 down. One KIA, Lt Holt, 2 colission and bailed. Both of them Darling and Heckel taken Prisoner to SLIII
Offlash
Best Moment -Didnt Burn in AC.
-Made it to the ground alive.
-Rescued by Wermacht from SS group. Taken to local jail then Dulag Luft fot interogation. Eventually took train to Stalag Luft 3 on Oct 23, 1944. Assigned to Block 68 Room 15
Worst Moment The marches from SLIII to Nuremburg then the marchen to Moosberg Jan 29-April 11, 1944
Chain of Command Col A.P. Hill (Future Commandant of the USAF Academy)
Other Memories Didn't tell anyone, but he likes the cabbage soup served by the camp