Lester Olaf Hegstad

Military

Ten men in Air Force uniform posed in two rows in front of an airplane. Five men standing to the rear and five men kneeling in front. Some of the men are wearing cold weather flying gear.

UPL 66273 UPL 66273 384th Bomb Group Lead Crews /Emden/Aurich (Harbor).
Back L-R: 2nd Lt. Leon Fields (OBS/TG), 1st Lt. Horace Frink (P), Col. J.K. Lacey (AC), 1st Lt. Lester Hegstad (N), 1st Lt. Clyde Carlson (B)
Front L-R: SSgt. Clyde Savage (FG), SSgt. William Shelton (BT), TSgt. William Ralston (TT), SSgt. Julius McNutt (FG), TSgt. Roy Griffith (RO). Not Pictured: 2nd Lt. Raino Jylkka (N)

Photo courtesy of Lester Hegstad. https://photos.384thbombgroup.com/picture.php?/35529/category/LeadCrews

547th Bomb Squadron 384th Bomb Group VIII Bomber Command 104 42-5852 Grafton Underwood Leon Fields Horace Everett Frink Julius Kahn Lacey Lester Olaf Hegstad Clyde Pemberton Carlson Clyde Henry Savage William Abner Shelton William Clark Ralston Julius Frederick McNutt Roy Wesley Griffith Reino Oswald Jylkka On

Object Number - UPL 66273 - 384th Bomb Group Lead Crews /Emden/Aurich (Harbor). Back L-R: 2nd Lt. Leon Fields (OBS/TG), 1st Lt. Horace Frink (P), Col. J.K. Lacey (AC), 1st Lt....

Original Crew #20

Connections

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Units served with

384th Bomb Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

547th Bomb Squadron

Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

People

Clyde Pemberton Carlson

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 384th Bomb Group 547th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: O-735170
Highest Rank: Major
Role/Job: Pilot : Bombardier

Leon Fields

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 384th Bomb Group 547th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 0–672341
Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
Role/Job: Co-Pilot

Ten men in Air Force combat flying gear posed in front of a military airplane. Six men standing to the rear and five men kneeling in front. Large canvas bags are laying in front of kneeling men

Roy Wesley Griffith

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 384th Bomb Group 547th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 14107839
Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
Role/Job: Radio Operator/ Gunner

William Abner Shelton

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 384th Bomb Group
Service Numbers: 18066018
Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
Role/Job: Waist Gunner/ Ball Turret Gunner

Aircraft

41-24507

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Nicknames: Yankee Raider
Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron 306th Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron

42-29699

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Nicknames: Fifi | Old Battle Axe
Unit: 384th Bomb Group 547th Bomb Squadron 94th Bomb Group 332nd Bomb Squadron

42-30043

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Nicknames: Ruthless
Unit: 384th Bomb Group 547th Bomb Squadron

42-30058

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron

42-3218

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Nicknames: Doris Mae
Unit: Base Air Depot 1 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron

Missions

A flight of B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 303rd Bomb Group fly above the clouds on their way to Norway. B-17F (BN-T, serial number 41-24561) nicknamed "The Duchess", of the 359th Bomb Squadron, is visible in the foreground. Printed caption on reverse: ' 67417 USAF - Flying high above a blanket of fleecy clouds, a formation of 8th Air Force Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortresses" drones steadily on towards the target somewhere in Norway on 16 November 1943. Air Force Photo.'

VIII Bomber Command 131

Date: 16 November 1943

A B-17 Flying Fortress ( serial number 42-30233) of the 95th Bomb Group in flight during a mission over Munster, B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-6414) nicknamed "Herky Jerky II" (circled) breaks formation due to damage. Printed caption on reverse of print: '26414 AC - Munster, Germany (Oct 10, 1943), disabled Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" in flight. U.S. Air Force Photo. 10-10-43.'

VIII Bomber Command 114

Date: 10 October 1943

VIII Bomber Command 108

Date: 4 October 1943

The wing of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-5888) nicknamed "Elusive Elcy" of the 94th Bomb Group flies off as a result of a direct hit, during a mission over Emden. Handwritten caption on reverse: '94 BG. 27/9/43.' Printed caption on reverse: 'A DRAMATIC INCIDENT DURING THE AIR WAR OVER EUROPE: A WING BREAKS OFF A FLYING FORTRESS DURING A DAYLIGHT BATTLE, AND THE STRICKEN BOMBER BEGINS TO TURN OVER AS IT STARTS ON THE WAY DOWN TO EARTH. This picture illustrates one of the hazards which the big A

VIII Bomber Command 104

Date: 27 September 1943

VIII Bomber Command 101

Date: 23 September 1943

Places

Grafton Underwood

Site type: Airfield
Known as: Grafton Undermud

Events

Event	Date	Description
Born	30 January 1921
Enlisted	27 January 1942	Enlisted ASN 16066885 Residence: Cook County, Illinois Private, Branch Immaterial
Other Assigned	11 March 1943	Assigned to the 384th Bombardment Group on Gowen Field (Boise, Idaho) Special Orders #70 dated 11 March 1943, Charles H. Lefevre Crew (as HEGSTEAD). 25 combat missions.

Event

Location

Date

Description

Born

30 January 1921

Enlisted

27 January 1942

Enlisted ASN 16066885 Residence: Cook County, Illinois Private, Branch Immaterial

Other

Assigned

11 March 1943

Assigned to the 384th Bombardment Group on Gowen Field (Boise, Idaho) Special Orders #70 dated 11 March 1943, Charles H. Lefevre Crew (as HEGSTEAD). 25 combat missions.

Revisions

Date19 Feb 2024 00:18:02

Contributoracbernstein1

Changes

Sources

https://384thbombgroup.com/_content/_pages/person.php?PersonKey=5842

Date13 Apr 2016 18:02:00

Contributorbombercommand

Changes

Sources

http://384thbombgroup.com/_content/_pages/person.php?PersonKey=5842

https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=1&cat=WR26&t…

Date27 Sep 2014 18:18:49

ContributorAAM

Changes

Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia

Lester Olaf Hegstad: Gallery (2 items)

Object number: UPL 66273 - 384th Bomb Group Lead Crews /Emden/Aurich (Harbor)...

Object number: UPL 66303 - 384th Bomb Group Lead Crews / 4 October 1943...