[303rd-Talk] I must tell you it blesses my heart to see so many great Americans and former servicemen and women work so hard to help someone find a friend or relative on your 303 site.

[Gregg Heilman]

To: '303rd-talk at 303rdBG.com'; Gary "303" BG H 
Subject: I must tell you it blesses my heart to see so many great Americans
and former servicemen and women work so hard to help someone find a friend
or relative on your 303 site. 

 

Greetings,

 

I must tell you it blesses my heart to see so many great Americans and
former servicemen and women work so hard to help some visitor to your site
to find a friend or relative from the 303 BG. 

 

A few weeks back someone came to a site I am registered to, another Air
Force site. The man, an Italian gentleman, whose father was an Armorer and
Gunner in the Italian Air Corp during World War Two, was trying to find the
family of a man named Harry E. Roach, Jr., a Navigator in your Unit.

 

Paolo Borchetta had come upon a Navigator's Brief Case with Roach's' name on
it from when Harry E. Roach's plane was shot down during World War Two.
Harry Roach was in the 303 and did make it back to Allied lines. He survived
the war, but died in a plane crash in the early 1950s.

 

I came here seeking the family of Harry Roach and with Gary's help we
located the Roach family. They live in the same part of Pennsylvania I do.
Mr Borchetta has now had the Brief Case restored at his own expense and has
had it forwarded to the Roach family after 60 plus years. 

 

I thought this story of thoughtfulness needed to be told and that is why I
write you tonight. Paolo did this all on his own as an act of kindness and
compassion to this Navigator's family. 

 

Paolo Borchetta would never have mentioned it himself, but this story needs
to be told.  His own father had been shot down and survived the war. Paolo
is a flier himself now as well.

 

It blessed my heart to find a site where so many were so involved and able
and willing to help a visitor to find a family member or close friend who
was in your unit.

 

My own father was in the Air Corp from 1940 to 1945 and was at Hickam on
12/7/1941. Before this my father served in the 11 Field Artillery at
Schofield from 1937 to 1940. He lost many close friend minutes into the war
and then went into the Pacific with the 11 BG H and the 42 Squadron. By
February 1, 1943 the 42 Squadron lost their last three B-17s over the
Pacific. 

 

I have made contact with some of the families from those last three B-17s
and three men who my father trained in 1943 when they prepared to go back
into the Pacific. 

 

My father fought at Midway, the Solomon Islands, Guadalcanal, Santos, and
many of the other Island campaigns. 

 

I told Paolo there are few survivors of those campaigns from the Air Corps
and the Pacific Theater of war. It has been very difficult to find anyone
who knew my father and next to impossible to find anyone who fought with
him. He was an Armorer 911 (P) and a Gunner. 

 

I did contact a Lt. Krey who told me what my father had mentioned only once.
My father was ordered not to go out any longer as a Gunner. His extensive
training with the Field Artillery and as an Armorer 911 (P) was needed too
dearly on the field. He was at Henderson and he is in the book "Grey Geese
Calling" on page nine. I found the photo and realized my father had the same
photo. He is "Bud" in the front row with the helmet at his feet.

 

I had to say THANK YOU all for being so helpful and welcoming to visitors
looking for a long ago friend or family member. 

 

The Pacific Theater does not have this opportunity very often and treasure
your every moment here and value your friends as a treasure not to be lost
or forgotten.    

 

God bless and keep you and yours,

 

Sincerely yours, 
Gregg S. Heilman


Son of Tech Sgt. Raymond A. Heilman, JR. 
11 TH Field Artillery 1937-1940 
Schofield Barracks 

7 TH AAC 11 BG H 42 Sq. 1940-45 
Hickam Survivor 12/7/1941 
USAAC Armorer (P) 911 
Presidential Unit Citation 1942