Red Oak Victory
Red Oak Victory
bigpigeon.us, webpage WWII Roster > Roster Records > Roster Ha-He - © 2023 by Robert A. Christiansen, last update by RAC 1 Oct 2023
Part 9/24 of Big Pigeon's Pottawattamie Area World War II Dead Roster, 30 "Ha-He" names.
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† Haberberger, Leonard Joseph, SN 37-490-431, US Army, Shelby & Harrison Cos.
  • b. 3 Aug 1925 Dunlap, Harrison Co.; s/o George B. Haberberger & Anna K. Gross of rural Shelby Co.; entered service 17 Feb 1944 from Rt. 2 Dunlap; service credited to Harrison Co.; bur. Lorraine American Cem., St. Avold, Lorraine, France.
  • Co. G, 10th Inf. Regt., 5th Inf. Div.; DNB 16 Dec 1944 near Saarlautern (now Saarlouis), W of Saarbrücken, Saarland, Germany; The ETO > War of Attrition > Lorraine & Alsace 1944 > Lorraine/Third Army.

† Halbert, Dean Warren, SN 20-706-778, US Army, Montgomery Co.
  • b. 11 Feb 1923 rural Elliott, Pilot Grove Twp., Montgomery Co.; s/o George A. Halbert & Minnie May Gemmill; family moved to Red Oak, Montgomery Co. 1924; entered service 10 Feb 1941 from Red Oak; bur. Evergreen Cem., Red Oak.
  • Co. M, 168th Inf. Reg., 34th Inf. Div., II Corps; captured 16 Feb 1943 near Sidi Bou Zid ; sent to Stalag 2-B in north Germany; DNB 28 Aug 1943 at a work camp at Gambin near Stolp, Pomerania; executed with Franklin Reed after failing to return in a timely manner from a toilet break; Battle of Sidi Bou Zid - The MTO > North Africa > Tunisia.

† Hale, Donald Max, SN 0-764-659, US Army Air Force, Montgomery Co.
  • b. 5  Mar 1921 rural Villisca, Douglas Twp., Adams Co.; s/o Francis P. Hale & Ethel M. Garrison; family moved to Montgomery Co. in early 1920s and to Villisca in early 1930s; entered service 23 Sep 1942 from Minneapolis, MN, service credited to Montgomery Co.; bur. Villisca Cem.
  • Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress #42-107133 co-pilot w/ pilot Dennis E. Lence; DNB 18 May 1944 near New Underwood, seven miles E of Rapid City Army Air Force Base; in a formation of B-17s organizing for a flight eastward towards the European Theater, aircraft nose dived into the ground from a height of around 2,000 feet with cause unknown; ten on board all killed.

† Halladay, Robert Monroe, SN O-115172, US Naval Aviation, Pott. Co.
  • b. 6 Nov 1918 Co. Bluffs; s/o Albert M. Halladay (d. 1937) & Imo Pearl Garber; family lived in Hancock, Pott. Co. & Letcher, Sanborn Co., SD;  m. Phyllis M. Benson of Nebraska; entered service Jun 1941 from Hancock.
  • Naval Air Scout Squadron VS-2 or VS-1D15, based at Coco Solo, Panama Canal Zone; Vought OS2N-1 Kingfisher BuNo 01408 pilot; DNB 5 Nov 1942 in Caribbean Sea NE of Cristobal, Panama Canal Zone; aircraft accident; Battle of the Atlantic; BNR.

​† Hammer, Melvin John, SN 37-694-414, US Army, Crawford Co. (WWII-HammerMelvinJ)
  • b. 28 Oct 1924 rural Dunlap, Boyer Twp., Crawford Co.; s/o William F. Hammer & Clara M. Ress; entered service 3 Apr 1944 from Denison, Crawford Co.; bur. Zion Lutheran Cem., Denison.
  • Co. F, 475th Inf. Regt. (the MARS long range penetration unit which fought in northern Burma), DOW 2 Feb 1945 northern Burma; China-Burma-India > Burma, 1941-45.

† Hansen, Arnt Billy, SN O-165735, US Navy, Pott. Co.
  • b. 6 Aug 1920 Atlantic, Cass Co.; s/o Hans F. Hansen & Kristina D. Rattenborg of Elk Horn, Shelby Co.; family moved to Co. Bluffs in 1920s & to Fargo, Cass Co., ND in late 1930s; entered service 19 Jun 1942 from Co. Bluffs.
  • Destroyer USS Leary (DD 158), Task Group 21.14, formed around the Escort Carrier USS Card (CVE 11); German reconnaissance aircraft spotted the task group in the North Atlantic on 24 Dec 1943 and the submarine wolf pack Borkum was ordered to attack; KIA 24 Dec 1943 at 45N, 22W, ~ 700 miles NE of Azores; submarine U-275 torpedoed and sank Leary; 97 dead, 59 survivors; Battle of the Atlantic; BNR.
  • Notes: US Naval Academy class of 1943, which graduated in 1942.

† Hansen, Elvin Emsley/Everett, SN O-739-093, US Army Air Force, Harrison & Shelby Cos.
  • b. 4 Dec 1917 rural Earling, Grove Twp., Shelby Co.; s/o Charles E. Hansen and Lenora C. Crandall; family lived in various Harrison Co. locations before moving to Missouri Valley, Harrison Co. in late 1930s; Elvin moved to California in late 1930s & enlisted 14 Apr 1942 in Los Angeles Co., CA; service credited to Harrison Co.
  • 869th Bomb. Sqdn., 497th Bomb. Gp, XXI Bomber Cmd., 20th Air Force, based at Isley Army Air Field, Saipan, Mariana Is.; Boeing B-29 Superfortress #42-24595 Pacific Union bombardier w/ aircraft commander Leonard L. Cox; KIA 14 Jan 1945 NW of Saipan on a mission to Nagoya, Japan, after leaving base, #3 engine caught fire and Captain Cox decided to ditch; plane exploded when ditching; seven dead, four rescued by destroyer; Japan Overpowered > Strategic Air War - Japan; BNR.

† Hansen, Hans Folmer Rattenborg Jr., SN 648-20-40, US Navy, Pott. Co.
  • b. 25 Jul 1919 Elk Horn, Shelby Co.; s/o Hans F. Hansen & Kristina D. Rattenborg of Elk Horn, Shelby Co.; family moved to Co. Bluffs in 1920s & to Fargo, Cass Co., ND in late 1930s; m. Margery Ann Gretzer of Co. Bluffs; entered service Feb 1942 from Crescent, Pott. Co.; group burial Jefferson Barracks Nat’l Cem., St. Louis, MO.
  • Evacuation Transport USS Pickney (APH-2); KIA 28 Apr 1945 Hagushi Bay, off SW coast of Okinawa, Ryukyu Is., Japan; Pickney damaged by kamikaze attack, 16 patients & 18 crew dead; Iwo Jima & Okinawa > Naval Battle of Okinawa.

† Hansen, Lawrence George, SN 37-120-519, US Army, Shelby Co.
  • b. 3 Jun 1919 Plankinton, Aurora Co., SD; s/o George F. Hansen & Emma Pamperin of Corley, Shelby Co.; m. Darlene E. Conklin of Avoca, Pott. Co. 1943, two children; bur. Henri-Chapelle American Cem., Verviers, Belgium.
  • 32nd Armored Regt., 3rd Armored Div.; WIA; DOW 10 Jan 1945 in hospital, Vielsalm, W of St. Vith, Belgium; The ETO > Ardennes/The Bulge > The Bulge Eliminated.

† Hansen, Matthias Peter, SN 39-839-172, US Army, Humboldt Co., CA. 
  • b. 28 Feb 1909 Pellworm Is., Nordfriesland, Germany; s/o Peter M. Hansen; immigrated via Hamburg, Germany Jul 1928; settled in northern California; enlisted San Francisco, CA 9 May 1942; service credited to Humboldt Co., CA; bur. Sicily-Rome American Cem., Nettuno, Lazio, Italy.
  • 30th Inf. Regt., 3rd Inf. Div.; KIA 31 Jan 1944 Anzio Beachhead, Lazio, Italy; The MTO > Italy > Battle of Anzio.
  • Notes: Press release, probably erroneous, gives connection to Hancock, Pott. Co.

† Hansen, Maurice Edward, SN 37-659-408, US Army, Cass & Audubon Cos.
  • b. 16 Jun 1921 rural Wiota, Franklin Twp., Cass Co.; s/o George H. Hansen & Louise C. M. Heiken; family moved to Oakfield Twp., SW Audubon Co. in late 1920s; entered service 17 Feb 1943 from Rt. 2, Atlantic, Audubon Co.; service credited to Cass Co.; bur. Atlantic Cem.
  • Co. I, 22nd Inf. Regt., 4th Inf. Div., V Corps, First Army; Died of Wounds 3 Sep 1944 near St. Quentin, northern France; The ETO > Liberation > Northern France & Belgium.

† Hansen, Robert Victor, SN 37-472-746, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • b. 9 Oct 1917 Co. Bluffs; s/o Walter J. Hansen (d. 1937) & Ida Murphy of Co. Bluffs; m. Dorothy A Wallace of Co. Bluffs, one child; entered service 16 Feb 1943 from Oskaloosa, Mahaska Co.; service credited to Pott. Co.; bur. Cedar Lawn Cem., Co. Bluffs.
  • Co. E, 346th Inf. Regt., 87th Inf. Div; KIA 9 Jan 1945, Jenneville, W of Bastogne, Belgium; The ETO > Ardennes/The Bulge > The Bulge Eliminated.

† Hansen, Warren Gamaliel, SN 859-83-39, US Navy, Audubon Co. (WWII-HansenWarrenG)
  • b. 26 Dec 1921 rural Fiscus, Douglas Twp., Audubon Co.; s/o John C. Hansen & Jennie Nielsen; family lived in Viola area; entered service 20 Nov 1943 from Rt. 1, Gray; bur. Arlington Heights Cem., Audubon, Audubon Co.
  • Landing Craft Tank LCT-785; d. 2 Jan 1946 on beach at Gushikawa, Chimu Wan, Okinawa; about 17 crew from six landing craft died when LCT-560, laden with munitions for disposal at sea, exploded; The Pacific Base Areas.

† Hansman, Jack, SN 7-060-421, US Army, Pott. & Crawford Cos.
  • b. 22 Feb 1922 Co. Bluffs; adopted s/o Henry J. Hansman Jr. & Sara E. Jeffers of Westside, Crawford Co.; entered service Mar 1940 from West Side, Crawford Co.; service credited to Pott. Co.; bur. Westside Cem.
  • Battery C, 90th Field Artillery Bn., 25th Inf. Div.; DOW 13 Apr 1945 ~ 200 m. N of Manila, Luzon, Philippines; Battle of Balete Pass - Philippines Liberated > Luzon.

† Harper, Paul Maurice, SN T-003-439, US Army Air Force, Mills Co.
  • b. 14 Sep 1922 Centralia, Nemaha Co., KS; s/o Charles J. Harper & Alice K. Dalton, both b. Fremont Co.; family lived in Centralia-Vermillion area in NE Kansas; Paul worked for Douglas Aircraft in El Segundo, CA in 1941; family moved to Malvern area, Mills Co. about 1942; entered service 23 Nov 1942 from Rt. 1, Malvern; bur. Malvern Cem.
  • Night fighter training school, 450th AAF Base Unit, Hammer Field, Fresno, CA; DNB 17 Dec 1944 three miles W of Madera, CA; training exercise on Douglas TP-70B #42-86900, a Douglas A-20 Havoc variant; plane stalled while maneuvering, four died.

† Hartje, Lamar Hugo, SN 316-57-45, US Navy, Pott. Co.
  • b. 5 Nov 1921 rural Neola, Washington T., Pott. Co.; s/o George P. Hartje & Emma D. Guttau of Rt. 1, McClelland, Pott. Co.; entered service 22 Feb 1939 from rural Neola; memorialized at  St. Paul Cem., Treynor, Pott. Co.
  • Submarine Tender USS Canopus (AS-9), Asiatic Fleet; scuttled in Mariveles Bay, Bataan, Philippines 10 Apr 1942; crew went ashore to Corregidor Is.; KIA 6 May 1942 near the water tower on Monkey Pt., Corregidor Is., Manila Bay, Philippines; Japan Lashes Out > The Philippines Lost; BNR.

​† Hartkopf, Paul Otto, SN 37-479-719, US Army Air Force, Cass Co.
  • b. 13 Mar 1917 Atlantic, Cass Co.; s/o Otto A. E. Hartkopf & Hazel Sheumaker; entered US Navy V5 program 11 May 1942 from Atlantic; entered US Army 17 May 1943 from 709 Elm St., Atlantic; bur. Atlantic Cem.
  • 848th Bomb. Sqdn., 490th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Eye, Suffolk, England; Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress #43-38191 Miss Mary Kay waist gunner w/ pilot Darril F. Roufs; KIA 5 Apr 1945 Goeree Overflakkee Is., SW of Rotterdam, Netherlands; aircraft hit by flak from German naval vessels in Middelharnis Harbor, crashed into water and exploded, crew of nine all dead; The ETO > ETO Air War.

† Hartwig, Harold William, SN 37-260-353, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • b. 7 Mar 1915 Dunlap, Harrison Co.; s/o Paul R. Hartwig (d. 1918) & Desse H. Leytham of Dunlap; ss/o Thomas Howard (d. 1934) of Co. Bluffs; m. Veronica A. Baumert; entered service Sep 1941 from Co. Bluffs; bur. Lorraine American Cem., St. Avold, Lorraine, France.
  • Co. I, 357th Inf. Regt., 90th Inf. Div., Third Army; KIA 18 Apr 1945, SE Germany, near Schwartzenbach & Hof, Bavaria; The ETO > Central Europe > Central Germany.

​† Hayes, Robert A., SN O-1-297-536, US Army, Montgomery Co. & Buchanan Co., MO
  • b. 18 Jul 1917 Red Oak, Montgomery Co.; s/o Charles H. Hayes & Claire H. Karstens; Robert moved to St. Joseph, MO in late 1930s; m. Eleanore Jeanne Roberts of St. Joseph, one child; entered service Mar 1942, service credited to Montgomery Co.; bur. Evergreen Cem., Red Oak.
  • Co. C, 382nd Inf. Regt., 96th Inf. Div., XXIV Corps; KIA 29 Oct 1944 NE of Nagami, Leyte, Philippines; battle for Catmon Hill - Philippines Liberated > Leyte.

​† Heberlee, Henry Leroy, SN 17-033-411, US Army Air Force, Guthrie Co. (WWII-HeberleeHenryL)
  • b. 9 Dec 1921 Atlantic, Cass Co.; s/o Albert L. Heberlee & Katherine N. Daggett; family moved to Guthrie Co.  in early 1920s & to Polk Co. in late 1930s; entered service 29 Dec 1941 from Des Moines; service credited to unknown county; b. Ft. McPherson Natl. Cem., Maxwell, Lincoln Co., NE w/ his fellow crew members.
  • 40th Troop Carrier Sqdn., 317th Troop Carrier Gp., Fifth Air Force, based at Dulag Airfield, Leyte, Philippines; Douglas C-47A Dakota/Skytrain #43-15412 crew chief w/ pilot Sam T. Barr; d. 5 Mar 1945 en route from Bayug Airfield, Barauen, Leyte to Clark Air Force Base, Luzon, Philippines; aircraft crashed w/ crew of four & one passenger all dead; bodies later recovered; US Air Force War w/ Japan > Fifth Air Force.

† Heckman, Gail Wayne, SN 620-18-37, US Navy, Cass Co.
  • b. 7 Jun 1920 rural Anita, Grant Twp., Cass Co., s/o Wilbur H. Heckman Sr. & Catharine Lindeman; entered service 29 Dec 1941 from Rt. 2, Anita.
  • armed guard on SS Topa Topa enroute from Port of Spain, Trinidad in the Caribbean to Takoradi in today's Ghana, Africa; KIA 29 Aug 1942 350 miles N of Cayenne, French Guinea; Topa Topa sunk by two torpedoes from German uboat U-66; 18 crew & seven armed guards died, ~ 35 survived; Battle of the Atlantic; BNR.

† Heckman, Fred Herman, SN 375-78-78, US Navy, Audubon Co.
  • b. 1 Jul 1912 Audubon Twp., SE Audubon Co.; entered service 9 Jul 1936 at Reno, NV; next of kin at time of death was brother Walter Henry Heckman, Rt. 3, Exira.
  • Came on board Destroyer USS Chew (DD-106) 9 Jan 1942, reenlisted Jul 1943; still on Chew 9 Nov 1943; d. 24 Jan 1944; (the Chew was an old destroyer that performed rear-area duties in the Pacific Theater); WWII-Japan > The Pacific Bases.
† Heckman, John Phillip, SN 37-118-341, US Army, Audubon Co.
  • b. 9 Dec 1906 Audubon Twp., SE Audubon Co., IA; bur. Keokuk Nat'l Cem., Lee Co.
  • Battery C, 437 Anti-Aircraft Bn. (Automatic Weapons), Italy; DOW 15 May 1944 Anzio Beachhead, Lazio, Italy; The MTO > Italy > Battle of Anzio.
Notes for Fred Herman & John Phillip Heckman: S/o Johan Christian "Chris" Heckmann Jr. (d. 1927) & Anna K. Schwarting (d. 1916), who farmed in Audubon Twp., SE Audubon Co. I know little information about the military service of the Heckman brothers. I am guessing that Fred was still assigned to the Chew when he died while John died on the Anzio Beachhead.

† Heilig, Kenneth Otto, SN O-1-311-299, US Army, Pierce Co., WA & Crawford Co.
  • b. 7 Oct 1913 Tecumseh, Johnson Co., NE; s/o Jesse R. Heilig & Amy A Viele, both Nebraska natives; family moved to  Blaine Co., MT in 1916 & also lived in Boise, ID; Kenneth moved to Pierce Co., WA in early 1930s; m. Jessie C. McLaren of rural Manilla, Crawford Co. 1936; entered service 20 Dec 1941 from Pierce Co.; bur. Brittany American Cem., St. James, Manche Dept., Normandy, France.
  • 41st Inf. Bn., 2nd Armored Div., XIX Corps, First Army; DOW 13 Aug 1944 SW of Falaise in NW France; The ETO > Liberation > Normandy.
  • Notes: brother-in-law, William M. McLaren of Crawford Co., d. at Battle of Savo Island.

​† Hemsted, John, SN 39-925-782, US Army, Cass Co. & Bannock Co., ID
  • b. 20 Oct 1913 Blaine Lake, Saskatchewan, Canada; s/o Samuel B. Hemsted & Nellie I. Donnelly; Hemsted family moved from rural Griswold, Waveland Twp., Pott. Co. to Saskatchewan in 1910 & returned to rural Griswold, Pleasant Twp., Cass Co. abt. 1925; m. Mildred M. Watson 1934, two children; moved to Pocatello, Bannock Co., ID in late 1930s; entered service 20 Jun 1944 from Bannock Co., service credited to Cass Co.; bur. Atlantic Cem., Cass Co.
  • Co. C, 60th Inf. Regt., 9th Inf. Div., V Corps, First Army; KIA 3 Feb 1945 in Monschau Forest between Monschau & Gemünd, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, head wound from artillery shell fragments; The ETO > Siegfried Line 1945 > Roer River Dams.

† Henderson, Harry Gregory, SN 872-01-35, US Navy, Buchanan Co., MO
  • b. ~ 1912 St. Joseph, Buchanan Co., MO; s/o Grovener Henderson (d. 1920) & Mamie I. Euler of St. Joseph; mother & brother Lloyd E. Henderson Avoca, Pott. Co. residents; in Buchanan Co., MO 1940; married Annette M. Waechter 1940; enlisted 31 Jul 1943 at Omaha.
  • Destroyer USS Halligan (DD-584); KIA 26 May 1945, off Tokashiki Is., W of southern Okinawa, Ryukyu Is., Japan; Halligan hit a naval mine & abandoned; 162 dead, 80 survivors; Iwo Jima & Okinawa > Naval Battle of Okinawa; BNR.

† Henderson, Max O., SN 37-485-581, US Army, Pott. Co. & Thayer Co., NE
  • b. 17 Mar 1925 Carleton, Thayer Co., NE; s/o Claude M. Henderson & Wilma J. Yoder, Thayer Co. natives; lived in Logan, Harrison Co. as a child; entered service 2 Oct 1943 from Carleton; parents moved to Oakland, Pott. Co. in early 1940s; bur. Oak Lawn Cem., Oakland.
  • Co. K, 406th Inf. Regt., 102nd Inf. Div., Ninth Army; KIA 18 Apr 1945, E of Hanover, near the Elbe River, Germany; The ETO > Central Europe > Central Germany.

† Henderson, Robert William, SN 20-706-543, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • b. 20 Mar 1920 Co. Bluffs; s/o George H. Henderson & Grace O. Gunn of Co. Bluffs; entered service 10 Feb 1941 from Co. Bluffs; bur. North Africa American Cem., Carthage, Tunisia.
  • Co. L (Council Bluffs), 168th Inf. Regt., 34th Inf. Div., II Corps; KIA 16 Feb 1943, Djebel Ksaira, SE of Sidi Bou Zid, Tunisia; Battle of Sidi Bou Zid - The MTO > North Africa > Tunisia.
  • Notes: Father also served in WWII.

† Herrell, George Walter, SN 37-699-107, US Army, Pott. Co. & Douglas Co., NE
  • b. 29 Aug 1920 Wyandotte, Ottawa Co., OK; s/o Clarence W. Herrell & Eva L. Greenway of Oklahoma & Omaha; m. Esther A. Hannibal of Omaha 1939, two children; entered service 26 Jun 1944 from Carter Lake, Pott. Co.; bur. Netherlands American Cem., Margraten, Netherlands.
  • Co. A, 60th Armored Inf. Bn., 9th Armored Div., First Army; KIA 31 Mar 1945 attacking Luftwaffe airfield near Fritzlar, SW of Kassel, Germany; The ETO > Central Europe > Beyond the Rhine. 
  • Notes: confirmed posthumous Silver Star; son Daniel killed in Vietnam.
  • RAC Family History Note: George Herrill was married to my mother's second cousin.

† Hetrick, Jacob Alvin, SN O-733-132, US Army Air Force, Pott. Co.
  • b. 16 Jun 1923 York Twp., rural Oakland, Pott. Co.; s/o Ivan Hetrick & Gladys Madge Potter of Pott. Co.; entered service 24 Feb 1943 from rural Oakland; group burial Jefferson Barracks Nat’l Cem., St. Louis, MO.
  • 75th Bomb. Sqdn., 42th Bomb Gp., Thirteenth Air Force, based at Mar Drome, NE of Sansapor, Vogelkop Peninsula, Netherlands New Guinea as of 14 Sep 1944; North American B-25J Mitchell # xx-xx965 co-pilot (full tail number unknown) w/ pilot John F. Wolfe; KIA 16 Feb 1945 ten miles E of Kendari, SE Celebes, Dutch Indies; downed by Japanese AA during low-level attack on Kendari airfield; US Air Force War w/ Japan > Thirteenth Air Force.