World War II Honoree

Michael W. 'Mickey' Heller

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Peoria, Illinois

Honored By

Patrick McKee

ENLISTED IN THE ARMY AIR CORPS AVIATION CADET PROGRAM, NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY, DECEMBER 1942. COMPLETED AVIATION CADET TRAINING, JULY 1944. AWARDED NAVIGATOR'S WINGS AND COMMISSIONED 2ND LIEUTENANT. ASSIGNED TO B-24 FLIGHT CREW. ENTERED TRANSITIONAL TRAINING AT GOWAN FIELD; BOISE, IDAHO. FOLLOWING TRANSITIONAL TRAINING, ASSIGNED A NEW B-24 AT LANGLEY FIELD, VIRGINIA. FLEW TO PANDEVESWAR, INDIA AND WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 451ST BOMB GROUP, 10TH AIR FORCE. FLEW NUMEROUS BOMBING MISSIONS AS A NAVIGATOR, STRIKING JAPANESE TARGETS IN THE CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER. DISCHARGED AS 1ST LIEUTENANT; JANUARY, 1945.