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  P-38J-10 Lightning Serial Number 42-67617  
USAAF
5th AF
18th FG
44th FS

Pilot  1st Lt. Eark R. Heckler, O-789908 (MIA/KIA) LA
MIA  January 17, 1944 at 2:00pm
MACR  1774

Aircraft History
Built by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation (LAC) in Burbank. Delivered to the U.S. Army. Disassembled and shipped overseas to the South Pacific and reassembled.

Wartime History
Assigned to the 13th Air Force (13th AF), 18th Fighter Group (18th FG), 44th Fighter Squadron (44th FS). No known nickname or nose art.

Mission History
On January 17, 1944 took off from Stirling Airfield pilot 1st Lt. Eark R. Heckler on a bomber escort mission over Rabaul. Last seen over Blanche Bay at 2:00pm. When this aircraft failed to return it was listed as Missing In Action (MIA).

Memorials
Heckler was officially declarded dead the day of the mission. He is memorialized on the tablets of the missing at Honolulu Memorial Cemetery.

References
HQ 18th Fighter Group January 1 – February 29, 1944 (USAF Historical Research Agency IRSUM: 78048)
{Page 5) "January 17, 1944 44th Fighter Squadron - Our loss: 1st Lt. Earl R. Heckler, Munson, Snell, reported missing in action. 2nd Lt. Theodore Schoettel, killed in action."

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Last Updated
December 17, 2021

 

Tech Info
P-38

MIA
MIA
1 Missing

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