Hegstad, Lester Olaf

Individual Personnel Data
Name Hegstad, Lester Olaf, "Red"
⇗
Rank Second Lieutenant / First Lieutenant
Serial Number O-670736
Unit Assignments
  • Assigned to the 547th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho, Special Orders #70 dated 11 March 1943, effective 11 March 1943.
  • Transferred to the 1st CCRC Gp, per 547th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 30 November 1943, effective 30 November 1943.
Duty Navigator
MOS1034 - Navigator
Last Duty Date 30 November 1943
Results Completed Combat Tour
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 1921
  • Promoted to First Lieutenant between 23 September and 26 September 1943.
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album⇗
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Original 384th Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. LeFevre, Charles Henry⇗PilotTR
2nd Lt. Fields, Leon (NMI)⇗Co-pilotCT
2nd Lt. Hegstad, Lester Olaf, "Red"NavigatorCT
2nd Lt. Carlson, Clyde Pemberton⇗BombardierTR
S/SGT. Griffith, Roy Wesley⇗Radio Operator / GunnerTR
S/SGT. Ralston, William Clark⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerCT
S/SGT. Savage, Clyde Henry⇗Ball Turret GunnerCT
PVT. McNutt, Julius Frederick⇗Tail GunnerCT
S/SGT. Shelton, William Abner, Jr⇗Flexible GunnerCT
S/SGT. Retherford, Archie (NMI), Jr⇗Flexible GunnerTR
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 25 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
1⇗ 22 June 1943 Target: General Motors Truck Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Antwerp, Belgium 		Navigator 42‑5850⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron Lead.
Sortie Report⇗
2⇗ 25 June 1943 Target: Industrial Area & Submarine Pens
Type: Military
Location: Hamburg, Germany 		Navigator 42‑30058⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back with gyrocompass out and altimeter erratic. Landed away at Bottisham, AAF Station 374.
Sortie Report⇗
5⇗ 29 June 1943 Target: duNord Aircraft Works, Villacoublay Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Paris, France 		Navigator 42‑5838⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
6⇗ 4 July 1943 Target: Gnome et Rhone Aircraft Engine Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Le Mans, France 		Navigator 42‑5849⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑5838. Frink had taken off in 838, detected a short circuit that made the aircraft unusable for combat, and landed. It took him 20 minutes from landing to taking off again!
Sortie Report⇗
7⇗ 10 July 1943 Target: Drucat Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Abbeville, France 		Navigator 42‑5838⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
8⇗ 14 July 1943 Target: Villacoublay Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Paris, France 		Navigator 42‑5838⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑5848.
Sortie Report⇗
9⇗ 24 July 1943 Target: Aluminum & Magnesium Plants
Type: Industry
Location: Herøya, Norway 		Navigator 42‑30043⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
11⇗ 28 July 1943 Target: Aircraft Engine Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Kassel, Germany 		Navigator 42‑29699⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Aborted Mission After Taking Off
High Squadron deputy. Turned back with #2 & #3 engines unable to produce enough power to stay with the formation.
Sortie Report⇗
12⇗ 29 July 1943 Target: Naval Base
Type: Military
Location: Kiel, Germany 		Navigator 42‑29699⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
13⇗ 30 July 1943 Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Kassel, Germany 		Navigator 42‑29699⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Martlesham Heath, AAF Station 369, on return, reason unknown.
Sortie Report⇗
14⇗ 12 August 1943 Target: Synthetic Fuel Hydrogenation Plant
Type: Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Navigator 42‑29699⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back because #1, #3 and #4 oil pressure dropped off between nothing and ten; feathered #1 and #3.
Sortie Report⇗
15⇗ 15 August 1943 Target: Poix-en-Picardie and Amiens-Glisy Airfields
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Poix-de-Picardie & Amiens, France 		Navigator 42‑5849⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
16⇗ 16 August 1943 Target: Le Bourget Airport & Air Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Paris, France 		Navigator 42‑30043⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
17⇗ 17 August 1943 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Navigator 42‑29699⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Returned Early
Turned back before target because of trouble with three engines; dropped his bombs on a target of opportunity (TOO), an unidentified fighter airfield.
Sortie Report⇗
18⇗ 27 August 1943 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Watten, France 		Navigator 42‑5838⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
19⇗ 31 August 1943 Target: Fighter Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Romilly-sur-Seine, France 		Navigator 42‑5838⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
20⇗ 3 September 1943 Target: Air Park and Aerodrome
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Romilly-sur-Seine, France 		Navigator 42‑5838⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead
Sortie Report⇗
21⇗ 6 September 1943 Type: Industry
Location: Stuttgart, Germany 		Navigator 42‑5838⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Hornchurch, Essex, due to low fuel.
Sortie Report⇗
22⇗ 7 September 1943 Target: Bruxelles-Evere Airfield/Repair Depot
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Brussels / Bruxelles, Belgium 		Navigator 42‑3218⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead.
Sortie Report⇗
23⇗ 9 September 1943 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Lille-Vendeville, France 		Navigator 42‑5838⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
24⇗ 16 September 1943 Target: Blockade Runner Ship (in Loire River)
Type: Transportation
Location: Nantes, France 		Navigator 42‑5838⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead.
Sortie Report⇗
25⇗ 23 September 1943 Target: Submarine Repair Ship
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Nantes, France 		Navigator 42‑5838⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
26⇗ 27 September 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Emden, Germany 		Navigator 42‑5852⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead.
Sortie Report⇗
28⇗ 4 October 1943 Type: Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Navigator 42‑5838⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead.
Sortie Report⇗
31⇗ 10 October 1943 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Münster, Germany 		Navigator 42‑3441⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead.
Sortie Report⇗
36⇗ 16 November 1943 Target: Knaben II Molybdenum Mine
Type: Industry
Location: Knaben, Norway 		Navigator 42‑5838⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Division lead. Salvoed bombs near target (faulty bomb release mechanism).
Sortie Report⇗

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