World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
Henry Heiber
Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
South Fayette, Pennsylvania
Honored By
Orville L. Kline
RANK: STAFF SERGEANT. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE ARMY AIR CORPS JANUARY 4, 1943 AT GREENSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA. SERVED AS A B-17 ‘FLYING FORTRESS’ BOMBER FLIGHT ENGINEER/TOP TURRET GUNNER ASSIGNED TO THE 349TH BOMB SQUADRON, 100TH ‘BLOODY HUNDREDTH’ BOMB GROUP, U.S. 8TH AIR FORCE ‘MIGHTY EIGHTH’. HIS UNIT WAS BASED AT THE THORPE ABBOTS ROYAL AIR FORCE AIRFIELD ENGLAND, UNITED STATES ARMY AIRFIELD STATION #139. ON FRIDAY, MAY 12, 1944 HE WAS SHOT DOWN DURING A BOMBING RAID ON THE BRUX SYNTHETIC OIL REFINERIES LOCATED NORTHWEST OF PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC. WHILE OVER THE TARGET, HIS FLYING FORTRESS WAS HIT BY ARTILLERY FLAK BEHIND #3 ENGINE AND IN THE FUSELAGE NEAR THE BALL TURRET. THE BURNING BOMBER WENT INTO AN UNCONTROLLED SPIN, EXPLODED IN MID-AIR BEFORE IT CRASHED NEAR THE VILLAGE OF CESKY JIRETIN. THE BALL TURRET GUNNER WAS KILLED AND THE OTHER NINE CREWMEN BAILED OUT BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT EXPLODED. HE WAS CAPTURED BY THE GERMAN ARMED FORCES AND HELD IN CAPTIVITY AT THE GERMAN PRISONER OF WAR CAMPS STALAG LUFT 4 GROSS-TYCHOW, POMERANIA, PRUSSIA (MOVED TO WOBBELIN BEI LUDWIGSLUST) (MOVED TO USEDOM BEI SAVENMUNDE). BEFORE OR AFTER THE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES IN EUROPE THEATER, HE WAS REPATRIATED AND RETURNED TO MILITARY CONTROL.