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name
VON DER HEYDE, Don Sheeder - Date of
birth
15 June 1919 -
Age
24 - Place of
birth
Altoona, Blair County, Pennsylvania -
Hometown
Altoona, Blair County, Pennsylvania
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-793468 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Pilot -
Unit
323rd Bombardment Squadron,
91st Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
17 August 1943 - Place of
death
Balen, Belgium
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| B | 39 | 33 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Otto E.T. Von Der Heyde (father)
Bertha E. (Steck) Von Der Heyde (mother)
Alfred Von Der Heyde (brother)
John E. Von Der Heyde (brother)
Dorothy C. (Zimmers) Von Der Heyde (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-5225 -
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: V-Packette aka Stormy Weather
Destination: Schweinfurt, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the KugelFisher ball bearing plants
MACR: 280
More information
Lt Von Der Heyde attended Altoona High School and Lehigh University in Bethlehem.He enlisted on 17 July 1941.
He was married to Dorothy Zimmers on 10 November 1942.
The aircraft was shot down by Lt Artur Beese in a Fw-190A of JG 26/1. Two crew members were taken prisoner, eight were killed. They were initially buried at the cemetery for allied soldiers in Fort III in Deurne, Belgium on 20 August 1943.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.8thafhs.com, www.joebaugher.com,
www.fold3.com - MACR, www.newspapers.com - Altoona Tribune, www.ancestry.com - Veteran Compensation Application File / 1920 Census
Photo source: Jac Engels, www.ancestry.com - Lehigh University Yearbook 1939, www.newspaperarchive.com - Altoona Mirror