Crew Roster · Personal File

Francis E. Heffner

Navigator · 328th Squadron
HometownDetroit, MI

Ferried a B-24 across the North Atlantic with his crew, reaching England on July 30, 1944. Flew 30 combat missions (22 as lead crew) with the 93rd Bomb Group at Hardwick from Sept. 11, 1944 to April 17, 1945. Led attack on oil refineries at Magdeburg on March 3; flew low-level mission to resupply airborne troops crossing the Rhine River on March 24th.

Completed Tour

Sortie Log

4 CATALOGUED SORTIES
12 SEP 1944 — 24 MAR 1945

The sorties below are those we have been able to document for this airman, drawn from flight logs, mission records, and archival sources. It is not necessarily a complete account of every mission flown; gaps may reflect missing documentation, transferred assignments, or records lost to time.

8AF Mission
Date
Target
Aircraft
№ 626
12 SEP 1944
HemmingstedtO/R
U.S. Express, The41-29586
№ 770
30 DEC 1944
MechernichM/Y
XX-XX598
№ 861
03 MAR 1945
Magdeburg/Rothensee O/RO/R
Squadron Lead; bomb load: 5x500 GP M64, 2 Smoke Bombs
44-49573
№ 911
24 MAR 1945
American Assault Area??
Aircraft commander: WILLIAM H. WOODS (name appears as header above crew block; rank not stated)
Jersey Bounce42-40609
§ Personal Record
Before the War

Born Oct. 3, 1923 in Detroit, MI. Enlisted in the USAAFR in 1942; active duty Feb. 24, 1943. Basic and cadet training at Miami Beach, FL. Graduated from Selman Field, Monroe, LA as second lieutenant navigator on April 22, 1944. Joined B-24 heavy bomber crew at Peterson Field, CO on May 19, 1944.