Luther was a veteran of both World War I and World War II.
During the First World War he entered the U.S. Naval Reserve Force at Boston, MA on 14 Dec 1917. From 24 Oct - 11 Nov 1918 he served on active duty as a 1/c Hosp. App. at the Naval Unit, University of Vermont, in Burlington, VT.
After graduating from the University of Vermont in 1921 he became an M.D. He was also a private aviator. During World War II, he served as a Major in the Medical Corps, attached to Headquarters Squadron, 19th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Forces.
He became a prisoner of the Japanese Army while fighting in the Philippines during the war in 1942. He was held at Japanese POW Camp 2, Davao, Mindanao, Philippines.
Luther was declared "Missing In Action" while a POW of the Japanese Army in the sinking of the "Shinyo Maru".
He was awarded the "Distinguished Service Cross, Bronze Star, Air Medal, Prisoner of War Medal, and the Purple Heart".
The Japanese ship "Shinyo Maru" was loaded with 750 U.S. POW's in the cargo holds. The U.S.S. Paddle (SS-263), not knowing that American POW's were on board, fired torpedoes at the ship off the coast of Mindanao and sank it. Some Japanese guards shot prisoners as they struggled from the holds after the attack or were in the water.
668 POW's died when the ship sank, leaving only 82 survivors. 47 of 52 Japanese guards also died.
His remains were not recovered.
Service # 0-205275
( Bio by: Russell S. "Russ" Pickett with additions by Jay Rarick )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Distinguished Service Cross Synopsis:
The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Luther C. Heidger (0-205275), Major (Medical Corps), U.S. Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as a Medical Officer with the 19th Bombardment Group (H), FAR EAST Air Forces, in action against enemy forces on 8 December 1941, in the Philippine Islands.
Major Heidger's outstanding accomplishments, personal bravery and zealous devotion to duty exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, the Far East Air Forces, and the United States Army.
Office of the Department Commander,
South West Pacific Command,
General Orders No. 2 (1942)
Home Town: Fairfield, CT
Synopsis submitted by ShaneO!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Soldiers & Sailors who died on the "Shinyo Maru":
( Last name staring with: A through D )
( Last name staring with: E through L )
( Last name staring with: M through R )
( Last name staring with: S through Z )
Survivor of the "Shinyo Maru"
Click Here For Listing
( Above listings created by: Russell S. "Russ" Pickett )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
During the First World War he entered the U.S. Naval Reserve Force at Boston, MA on 14 Dec 1917. From 24 Oct - 11 Nov 1918 he served on active duty as a 1/c Hosp. App. at the Naval Unit, University of Vermont, in Burlington, VT.
After graduating from the University of Vermont in 1921 he became an M.D. He was also a private aviator. During World War II, he served as a Major in the Medical Corps, attached to Headquarters Squadron, 19th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Forces.
He became a prisoner of the Japanese Army while fighting in the Philippines during the war in 1942. He was held at Japanese POW Camp 2, Davao, Mindanao, Philippines.
Luther was declared "Missing In Action" while a POW of the Japanese Army in the sinking of the "Shinyo Maru".
He was awarded the "Distinguished Service Cross, Bronze Star, Air Medal, Prisoner of War Medal, and the Purple Heart".
The Japanese ship "Shinyo Maru" was loaded with 750 U.S. POW's in the cargo holds. The U.S.S. Paddle (SS-263), not knowing that American POW's were on board, fired torpedoes at the ship off the coast of Mindanao and sank it. Some Japanese guards shot prisoners as they struggled from the holds after the attack or were in the water.
668 POW's died when the ship sank, leaving only 82 survivors. 47 of 52 Japanese guards also died.
His remains were not recovered.
Service # 0-205275
( Bio by: Russell S. "Russ" Pickett with additions by Jay Rarick )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Distinguished Service Cross Synopsis:
The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Luther C. Heidger (0-205275), Major (Medical Corps), U.S. Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as a Medical Officer with the 19th Bombardment Group (H), FAR EAST Air Forces, in action against enemy forces on 8 December 1941, in the Philippine Islands.
Major Heidger's outstanding accomplishments, personal bravery and zealous devotion to duty exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, the Far East Air Forces, and the United States Army.
Office of the Department Commander,
South West Pacific Command,
General Orders No. 2 (1942)
Home Town: Fairfield, CT
Synopsis submitted by ShaneO!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Soldiers & Sailors who died on the "Shinyo Maru":
( Last name staring with: A through D )
( Last name staring with: E through L )
( Last name staring with: M through R )
( Last name staring with: S through Z )
Survivor of the "Shinyo Maru"
Click Here For Listing
( Above listings created by: Russell S. "Russ" Pickett )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Luther was a veteran of both World War I and World War II.
During the First World War he entered the U.S. Naval Reserve Force at Boston, MA on 14 Dec 1917. From 24 Oct - 11 Nov 1918 he served on active duty as a 1/c Hosp. App. at the Naval Unit, University of Vermont, in Burlington, VT.
After graduating from the University of Vermont in 1921 he became an M.D. He was also a private aviator. During World War II, he served as a Major in the Medical Corps, attached to Headquarters Squadron, 19th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Forces.
He became a prisoner of the Japanese Army while fighting in the Philippines during the war in 1942. He was held at Japanese POW Camp 2, Davao, Mindanao, Philippines.
Luther was declared "Missing In Action" while a POW of the Japanese Army in the sinking of the "Shinyo Maru".
He was awarded the "Distinguished Service Cross, Bronze Star, Air Medal, Prisoner of War Medal, and the Purple Heart".
The Japanese ship "Shinyo Maru" was loaded with 750 U.S. POW's in the cargo holds. The U.S.S. Paddle (SS-263), not knowing that American POW's were on board, fired torpedoes at the ship off the coast of Mindanao and sank it. Some Japanese guards shot prisoners as they struggled from the holds after the attack or were in the water.
668 POW's died when the ship sank, leaving only 82 survivors. 47 of 52 Japanese guards also died.
His remains were not recovered.
Service # 0-205275
( Bio by: Russell S. "Russ" Pickett with additions by Jay Rarick )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Distinguished Service Cross Synopsis:
The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Luther C. Heidger (0-205275), Major (Medical Corps), U.S. Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as a Medical Officer with the 19th Bombardment Group (H), FAR EAST Air Forces, in action against enemy forces on 8 December 1941, in the Philippine Islands.
Major Heidger's outstanding accomplishments, personal bravery and zealous devotion to duty exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, the Far East Air Forces, and the United States Army.
Office of the Department Commander,
South West Pacific Command,
General Orders No. 2 (1942)
Home Town: Fairfield, CT
Synopsis submitted by ShaneO!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Soldiers & Sailors who died on the "Shinyo Maru":
( Last name staring with: A through D )
( Last name staring with: E through L )
( Last name staring with: M through R )
( Last name staring with: S through Z )
Survivor of the "Shinyo Maru"
Click Here For Listing
( Above listings created by: Russell S. "Russ" Pickett )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
During the First World War he entered the U.S. Naval Reserve Force at Boston, MA on 14 Dec 1917. From 24 Oct - 11 Nov 1918 he served on active duty as a 1/c Hosp. App. at the Naval Unit, University of Vermont, in Burlington, VT.
After graduating from the University of Vermont in 1921 he became an M.D. He was also a private aviator. During World War II, he served as a Major in the Medical Corps, attached to Headquarters Squadron, 19th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Forces.
He became a prisoner of the Japanese Army while fighting in the Philippines during the war in 1942. He was held at Japanese POW Camp 2, Davao, Mindanao, Philippines.
Luther was declared "Missing In Action" while a POW of the Japanese Army in the sinking of the "Shinyo Maru".
He was awarded the "Distinguished Service Cross, Bronze Star, Air Medal, Prisoner of War Medal, and the Purple Heart".
The Japanese ship "Shinyo Maru" was loaded with 750 U.S. POW's in the cargo holds. The U.S.S. Paddle (SS-263), not knowing that American POW's were on board, fired torpedoes at the ship off the coast of Mindanao and sank it. Some Japanese guards shot prisoners as they struggled from the holds after the attack or were in the water.
668 POW's died when the ship sank, leaving only 82 survivors. 47 of 52 Japanese guards also died.
His remains were not recovered.
Service # 0-205275
( Bio by: Russell S. "Russ" Pickett with additions by Jay Rarick )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Distinguished Service Cross Synopsis:
The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Luther C. Heidger (0-205275), Major (Medical Corps), U.S. Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as a Medical Officer with the 19th Bombardment Group (H), FAR EAST Air Forces, in action against enemy forces on 8 December 1941, in the Philippine Islands.
Major Heidger's outstanding accomplishments, personal bravery and zealous devotion to duty exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, the Far East Air Forces, and the United States Army.
Office of the Department Commander,
South West Pacific Command,
General Orders No. 2 (1942)
Home Town: Fairfield, CT
Synopsis submitted by ShaneO!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Soldiers & Sailors who died on the "Shinyo Maru":
( Last name staring with: A through D )
( Last name staring with: E through L )
( Last name staring with: M through R )
( Last name staring with: S through Z )
Survivor of the "Shinyo Maru"
Click Here For Listing
( Above listings created by: Russell S. "Russ" Pickett )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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