World War II Honoree

Richard M. Heyman, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Honored By

Pearl Thomas

Relationship

A Grateful American

He enlisted at the age of 18 on June 2, 1942. As a 364th Fighter Group P-38 Lightning fighter pilot, his first mission was over northern France on D-Day as an escort for the 101st Airborne. He flew with the C-47s and C-46s and gliders, who were carrying the parachute units, then the next day it was the first time the US had flown directly over Berlin. He also flew P-51s.