Ronald Lee Helder

Military ROLL OF HONOUR
media-52026.jpeg UPL 52026 2nd Lt Ronald Lee Helder, 389BG

Object Number - UPL 52026 - 2nd Lt Ronald Lee Helder, 389BG

2nd Lt. Ronald Lee Helder was a B-24 pilot in the 8th Air Force, the 389th Bomb Group, and the 564th Bombing Squadron in WWII. He flew as Co-pilot with his friend, Command Pilot Lt. Lloyd H. Hughes, in the B-24D Lt. Helder called, Ole Kickapoo, although this name was never painted on his plane. Lt. Helder was killed in action flying the mission to Ploesti on Operation Tidal Wave. He and his Command Pilot Lt. Lloyd "Pete" Hughes demonstrated exceptional leadership, flying skill, and determination to destroy and bomb their assigned target at Campina, north of Ploesti. On their run into the target, they found the area already burning and exploding from the bombs of the pilots of the 93rd Bomb Group, who had broken away from their leader, Col. K.K. Compton, who had been ordered to turn south away from Ploesti at their IP by Gen. Uzal Ent, the Mission Commander. As they approached their target refinery, code named, Red Target, at Campina, Romania, just north of Ploesti, they took two direct hits by flak, which blew open their left wing and bomb bay gasoline tanks, and both tanks were now streaming huge streams of gasoline behind them. Both pilots could see a wall of flames ahead, blocking their path to Campina but elected to fly straight through the flames knowing that they would certainly be set on fire by them. When their B-24 emerged from the wall of flames, it was now streaming long sheets of flames from both the left wing and bomb bay gas tanks. Pete Hughes and Helder's friend, Col. Philip Ardery, flying close behind them was amazed to see them continue to fly with their B-24 burning like a blow torch, straight and level toward their refinery, Red Target, and lay their bombs right into it. Ardery, then, saw the two pilots pull up slightly and slow their plane, seeming to try to give their men some altitude to bail out, but, then, they began to settle into the Prahova dry riverbed for a forced landing. As they descended, Ole Kickapoo's left wing folded, and it crashed into the ground in a fireball, instantly killing both of the pilots, Pete Hughes and Lee Helder. Two of their crewmen, of four, who crawled out of the burning wreckage survived their serious burns to become POWs. Both pilots were Killed in Action (KIA) at Ploesti, while on TDY to the 9th AF for the Ploesti raid in B-24, Ole Kickapoo, 42-40753.



For his bravery, his flying skill, and his absolute determination to accomplish his mission with no regard to his own safety, 2nd Lt. Ron Lee Helder was posthumously awarded the Army Distinguished Service Cross and the Purple Heart.



Ronald Lee Helder was born in Carson, North Dakota, on March 9, 1917. He was born to Floyd and Ann Helder and had an older sister named Esther. After Ronald's father was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Disease, they moved to Inwood, Iowa to be closer to the family. When Ronald was three, his father passed away. Ronald attended grade school in Inwood, Iowa and later moved to Montrose, South Dakota. He graduated from Montrose High School as valedictorian of his class in 1935. He worked at Power City Drug Company in Sioux Falls during the summers while he attended South Dakota State College in Brookings, South Dakota. After graduation in 1940, Ronald became a pharmacist at Power City Drug Company.



Ronald entered the military service on July 19, 1940, at McCord Field, Tacoma, Washington, where he served in the medical detachment. From December 5, 1941 to December 10, 1941, Helder was on a boat en route to Pearl Harbor. Ronald and the crew were only two days out of San Francisco when Pearl Harbor was attacked on December 7, 1941. Their boat was forced to return to San Francisco. Helder later entered the Army flying school in Roswell, New Mexico. He was graduated from the flying school and earned his commission as a second lieutenant on March 9, 1943, which was also his 26th birthday. In June of 1943, Lt. Helder was sent overseas and stationed in Libya. His cousin, Joann Oberlander, wrote about the mission on which Lt. Helder perished:



Participation in the raid [of the Ploesti Oil Fields in Romania] was voluntary and to show the high morale of the American Air Force, many fliers volunteered despite the fact that they were told of the opposition expected and their probable chances of not returning. They had extensive practice before the raid including low altitude flying – so low that the planes frequently clipped off the tops of Arab tents…. Over 150 planes took part in the mission. The bombers were all hitting the oil field targets, and the area was a mass of flames. On the day of the mission, August 1, 1943, Lt. Ronald Helder, as co-pilot of a B-24 bomber that he called 'Ole Kickapoo' was reported missing in action. Later, his mother received word that Ronald had been confirmed as killed in action in the raid. The War Department letter dated October 29, 1943, said in part: "It is with profound regret that I must confirm the telegram of recent date in which you were informed of the death of your son, Second Lt. Ronald L. Helder, 0-740807, U.S. Army Air Corps. An official casualty message from the Commanding General of the Middle Eastern Area stated that your son failed to return from an operational mission on 1 August 1943, and he has been carried as missing in action since that date. Information has now been received from the Romanian Government through the International Red Cross stating that he died on 1 August 1943. This would indicate that he was killed in action on the date he was previously reported missing in action, and it has been so recorded on the records of the War Department."



For his services to his country, Lt. Ronald Helder received the Distinguished Unit Citation, the Distinguished Service Cross, Air Medal and the Purple Heart.



Lt. Helder's remains were later returned and buried in a common grave at Fort McPherson National Cemetery near Maxwell, Nebraska, with three other members of the 389th bomber group, the "Sky Scorpions," who were all in the same plane. Ronald also has a marker located at the Helder family plot in Richland Cemetery near Inwood, Iowa. Ronald has been missed by all who had come to love him over the 26 years that he lived. He was a great guy who will be remembered for his service to his nation. This entry was respectfully submitted by Julee Lueders, Spearfish High School, Spearfish, South Dakota, March 18, 2002. Information for this entry was provided by Mrs. Joann Oberlander, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, cousin of Second Lieutenant Ronald Helder.



Crew of the 'Ole Kickapoo' who died at Campina, Romania Aug 1943:

2nd Lt Lloyd "Pete" Herbert Hughes

2nd Lt Ronald L. Helder

2nd Lt Sidney A. Pear

2nd Lt John A. McLoughlin

T Sgt Joseph E. Mix

T Sgt Louis N. Kase

S Sgt Avis Kenneth Wilson

S Sgt Malcolm Clay Dalton



ACTUAL CITATION from General Order No. 89, Headquarters Ninth U.S. Air Force, 16 September 1943



SECTION I...Awards to the 564th Bombardment Squadron



Paragraph 1. By direction of the President, under the provisions of the Act of Congress approved 9 July, 1918 (Bull. W.D. 43., 1918), and in accordance with authority delegated by the War Department, a Distinguished Service Cross is awarded to each of the following-named officers and enlisted men:



RONALD L HELDER, 0-740807, 2nd Lieutenant, 564th Bombardment Squadron, 389th Bombardment Group (H). For distinguishing himself by extraordinary heroism and gallantry in action while participating in operations against the Ploesti Oil Refineries of Roumania on 1 August 1943. While participating in a long and dangerous minimum-altitude attack on a heavily defended enemy oil installation, the aircraft on which Lt. Helder served as co-pilot was severely hit by anti-aircraft fire just before reaching the target, causing a great sheet of gasoline to pour from the bomb bay tank. Because the target area had previously been bombed and the flames from burning oil tanks soared high above the bombing level of the low-flying B-24 type aircraft, to continue over the target was hazardous in the extreme; yet rather than disrupt the formation by dropping out, or jeopardize the success of the mission, the plane, with the skillful assistance of Lt Helder, held fast to its course, the bombs were dropped, completing the task, but at the cost of igniting the pouring gasoline, and resulting in the crash of the aircraft. By his gallant and heroic action in the face of certain disaster, Lt Helder brought great credit upon himself and the United States Army Air Forces. Lt. Helder is missing in action. Next of kin: Mrs. Ann Helder, (mother), Palo Alto, California.



The citation above is typed verbatim from the general order, so no need to change punctuations, i.e., Lt. instead of Lt and there is no period after his middle initial in the original citation.

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 389th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 66th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 36365248
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 564th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-666292
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-29680
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Commanding Officer / Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 16023226 / O-54160
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18065645 / O-726423
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Suzy Q
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 67th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - The Sandman
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 345th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 564th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Soluch Airfield
  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Berka, al Birkah
  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Bengazi Airfield, Wheelus Airbase

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

9 March 1917 Son of Floyd Wesley and Ann E [Partidge] Helder.

Died

1 August 1943 Killed in Action (KIA) while on TDY to 9th AF for Ploesti raid in B-24 'Ole Kickapoo' 42-40753

Buried

23 August 1950 Re-Interred Fort McPherson National Cemetery Maxwell, Nebraska PLOT C, 1281

Based

1 August 1943 Assigned to 564BS, 389BG, 8AF USAAF.

Revisions

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Contributorjmoore43
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Removed extra info in the "Role/job" field.

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Contributordecwriter
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Added to awards and bio section. Lieutenant Helder's citation is directly from the general order. His only Air Medal listed him as missing in action.

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ContributorKickapoo
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The Great Ground-Air Battle Of 1 August 1943 - James Dugan & Carroll Stewart

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ContributorKickapoo
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Black Sunday - Michael Hill

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FindAGrave - Ronald Lee Helder

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ContributorKickapoo
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FindAGrave - Ronald Lee Helder ---- personal archives - John S. Young, Jr.

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ContributorKickapoo
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FindAGrave - Ronald Lee Helder

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ContributorKickapoo
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FindAGrave - Ronald Lee Helder

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ContributorKickapoo
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FindAGrave -- Ronald Lee Helder

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ContributorKickapoo
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Black Sunday - Michael Hill

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ContributorKickapoo
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Into The Fire -- Duane Schultz

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ContributorKickapoo
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Ploesti The Great Ground-Air Battle of 1 August 1943 - James Dugan & Carroll Stewart - Second Lt. Ronald Lee Helder - Wikipedia

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ContributorKickapoo
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The Hall Of Valor Project

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Contributorjmoore43
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Added S/N and events (Born & Buried) per info on Find-a-grave MEMORIAL ID 3381033.

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Contributorjmoore43
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Added spaces to "Summary biography" for readability.

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ContributorRajordan
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ContributorAl_Skiff
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AAM Database.

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ContributorAAM
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Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 157

Ronald Lee Helder: Gallery (3 items)