Jim Heddleson, WWII Veteran, M.I.A., Hero, Honored at the Library
The reason why Mr. Heddleson was so honored began when his B-24 bomber, “The Worry Bird,” which was based in Northamptonshire, England and was part of the super-secret Carpet Bagger program of the 8th Air Force, crashed over Nazi-occupied France on April 27/28, 1944. The mission of “The Worry Bird” on that fateful night was to parachute munitions and supplies to the Maquis, which was the official name of the French Underground Resistance. The mission was timed to drop these valuable materials as the Allies were preparing to launch the June 6 landing in Normandy in their final assault on Hitler’s Thousand Year Reich. Five of the crew of “The Worry Bird” died instantly and a sixth seriously injured airman was captured and sent to a German POW camp. Staff Sergeant Heddleson, a radioman, and Sergeant George W. Henderson, a machine-gunner, pulled themselves from the wreckage, somewhat injured but very happy to be alive.
For the next five months, the two young American airmen faced constant dangers from Nazi patrols and possible Nazi sympathizers in the area. Fortunately for them, they met up with the local unit of the Maquis and they no longer felt isolated and alone. They participated in several clandestine operations and were readily embraced as comrades by their French hosts. These were extremely dangerous times in Nazi-occupied France, since, according to one source, “In March 1944, the German Army began a terror campaign throughout France. This included reprisals against civilians living in areas where the French Resistance were active.” Had these two young, airmen been captured by the Nazis, they would have been shot as spies.
Their ordeal finally came to a close, when, on August 10, 1944, they were rescued by a Lockheed Hudson from England that had been flown to France to bring them back to England. According to Mr. Heddleson’s narrative, “On the way to the airfield, we were protected by carloads of Maquis soldiers. We were taken to a spot where we met up with the (other downed) airmen and agents whom we had met before. Everybody shook hands and hugged each other. It was a wonderful feeling of comradeship.”
Mr. Heddleson has returned to this area of France on several occasions. Thirty years later the small French town of St. Cyr de Valorges, where the two young American airmen resided during their ordeal, renamed the city square in honor of Jim Heddleson to “James Heddleson Place.” He continues to correspond with some of his former French comrades and will never forget the heroism and many kindnesses of the French citizens with whom he served.
Like so many of the veterans of “The Greatest Generation,” Jim Heddleson returned to his hometown to marry, start a family, and work to build his share of the American Dream. He still resides in Louisville and is a retiree of the Hoover Corporation. Sadly, his wife of 51 years, Dolly, passed away in May of 2001.
During the entire month of January, various artifacts and documents from Mr. Heddleson’s personal collection will be on display at the Louisville Public Library. Included in this exhibit will be the following:
- Group photo of the entire crew with the menacing-looking B-24 Bomber, “The Worry Bird,” looming in the background.
- Mr. Heddleson’s forged identity papers listing him as a deaf (muet) Frenchmen farmer by the name of Jean-Pierre Etaix.
- Copies of the Western Union cablegrams, the first from the Secretary of War listing Mr. Heddleson as “Missing in Action… over France,” and the second from the just-liberated Mr. Heddleson to his Mother, Mrs. Mary C. Collins, with the following message: “AM ALLRIGHT SEE YOU ALL SOON LOVE AND KISSES JIMMIE HEDDLESON.”
- A French language book on the Resistance published in 1987 that features a Proclamation from then-Mayor Don Marshall of Louisville to this community’s sister-city of St. Cyr de Valorges (near Lyon). A privately printed book compiled by Jim Heddleson in 1994 that consists of newspaper articles, photos, letters, and other documents for his four sons, Gregory, Jeffrey, Keith, and Mark.
- Photos and actual pieces of debris of “The Worry Bird” that his French friends collected and gave to Mr. Heddleson in 1964.
- Silk escape maps of France, Germany, and Spain for use by downed American airmen to assist in their flight from Nazi-occupied France.
The library encourages other veterans to contact us if they would like to exhibit their memorabilia and personal effects. This is an excellent way for the community to learn first-hand of the many experiences and sacrifices of those who have served their country in uniform.
The Louisville Public Library is located at 700 Lincoln Avenue, just northeast of downtown Louisville. The library is also open from 9:00 to 9:00 on Monday through Thursday and 9:00 to 5:00 on Friday and Saturday.
