Albert L. Heikkila                                                                                   Updated:  03 JAN 2012

Airman: v999025.htm Surname: Heikkila Init: A L Rank: Sgt Service: USAAF Sqdn: 715

P_link: p306.htm Plane: B24 41-29479 Operation: Bomb G Crash_site: Near Poulsker

Crash_d: d290444 Buried_d: v999 C_link: v999.htm At_Next: EVD

B24 41-29479 "Gypsy Moth" var den 29. april 1944 med start fra basen Seething på bombetogt til Berlin. (Kilde: FT 87-93-6)
Flyet styrtede ned her ved Jomfrugård, Strandmarksvejen 7, 3730 Nexø omkring 2 km syd for Poulsker. (Kilde: Niels Christian Pihl)

"Under indflyvningen til målet blev flyet ramt af flak, og bombelugerne kunne ikke åbnes ved hjælp af automatik. Med håndkraft blev de dog åbnet og med noget besvær blev bombelasten derefter kastet. Efter passage af Berlin fik flyet alvorlige motorproblemer, og ud over Østersøen fløj man på kun en motor. Piloten gav derfor ordre til at forlade flyet, så snart man var inde over land igen. Over Poulsker (omkring her) sprang den første mand fra 3400 fods højde (1000 m) og den sidste, piloten, sprang i 2400 fods højde (700 m). (Ved denne flyver ses kun hans og hans ledsageres historie. Se resten ved B24 41-29479.)

Efter nogle dage var fem af besætningsmedlemmerne nu samlet i Bølshavn, og kort efter sejlede Louis Olsen dem fra Tejn (her) til Sverige i kutteren "Codan". (Det var Bombardier 2nd Lt Laurin M. Derosier, Right Waist Gunner S/Sgt William L. Hutchins, Tail Gunner Sgt Albert L. Heikkila, Radio Operator T/Sgt Russell D. Leonard og Navigator 2nd Lt Robert L. Bobst.) Det sidste besætningsmedlem, Pilot 2nd Lt Orland T. Howard, fik man kontakt med kort efter at de andre flyvere var sendt afsted. Man fandt ham på et høloft, og senere blev han kørt til Munck i Bølshavn. Her var han ca. 5 dage, før han med ruteskibet "Carl" (se detaljer om transporten), blev sejlet fra Gudhjem (her - overblik) til Falsterbo (Falsterbokanalen her), hvor han steg over i den svenske lodsbåd. Den 10. maj var Lt Howard tilbage i England." (FT 87-93-6)
10 flyvere.

Starting from Seething Airfield on 29 April 1944 B24 41-29479 "Gypsy Moth" was on a bombing raid to Berlin. (Source: FT 87-93-6)
The plane crashed here at Jomfrugård, Strandmarksvejen 7, DK-3730 Nexø about 2 km south of Poulsker. (Source: Niels Christian Pihl)

"The plane was hit by flak on its approach to target, and the bomb hatches could not be opened automatically. However, they were opened by hand and then the bomb load was dropped with some difficulty. Having passed Berlin the plane had serious engine problems, and over the Baltic Sea only one engine worked. The pilot ordered that the plane was to be abandoned as soon as they were over land again. The first man bailed out over Poulsker (about here) at an altitude of 3400 feet and the last, the pilot, bailed out at an altitude of 2400 feet. (At this airman you only read the story of him and his companion. See the others at B24 41-29479).

After some days five of the crew members were now gathered at Bølshavn, and shortly after Louis Olsen  sailed them from Tejn (here) to Sweden in the cutter "Codan". (They were Bombardier 2nd Lt Laurin M. Derosier, Right Waist Gunner S/Sgt William L. Hutchins, Tail Gunner Sgt Albert L. Heikkila, Radio Operator T/Sgt Russell D. Leonard and Navigator 2nd Lt Robert L. Bobst.) The last crew member Pilot 2nd Lt Orland T. Howard was contacted by Danes shortly after the other airmen had been sent on their way. He was found in a hayloft, and later he was driven to Munck in Bølshavn. Here he stayed for about 5 days, until the steamer "Carl" on its run to Copenhagen (see details about "Carl") took him from Gudhjem (here - overview) to Falsterbo (Falsterbokanalen here), where he entered the Swedish pilot boat. (Text in English without map, the Falsterbo Canal.) On 10 May Lt Howard was back in England." (FT 87-93-6)

This B-24H Liberator belonged to 715th Bombardment Squadron, 448th Bombardment Group, (Heavy) 8th Air Force. See 8th Air Force in World War II. 10 airmen.