Ronald L. 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. Ronald 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 moral 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, 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, 0-740-807, 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, Helder received the Distinguished Unit Citation, Distinguished Service Cross 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, "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 in 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
Visit the virtual cemetery of the "Ole Kickapoo" Crew.
Memorial for Ronald L. Helder in the Helder family plot in Richland Cemetery, Inwood, Lyon Co, IA.
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. Ronald 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 moral 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, 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, 0-740-807, 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, Helder received the Distinguished Unit Citation, Distinguished Service Cross 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, "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 in 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
Visit the virtual cemetery of the "Ole Kickapoo" Crew.
Memorial for Ronald L. Helder in the Helder family plot in Richland Cemetery, Inwood, Lyon Co, IA.
Ronald L. 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. Ronald 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 moral 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, 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, 0-740-807, 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, Helder received the Distinguished Unit Citation, Distinguished Service Cross 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, "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 in 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
Visit the virtual cemetery of the "Ole Kickapoo" Crew.
Memorial for Ronald L. Helder in the Helder family plot in Richland Cemetery, Inwood, Lyon Co, IA.
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. Ronald 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 moral 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, 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, 0-740-807, 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, Helder received the Distinguished Unit Citation, Distinguished Service Cross 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, "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 in 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
Visit the virtual cemetery of the "Ole Kickapoo" Crew.
Memorial for Ronald L. Helder in the Helder family plot in Richland Cemetery, Inwood, Lyon Co, IA.
Inscription
MALCOLM CLAY DALTON S SGT
ELWOOD R EMERSON 2D LT
RONALD L HELDER 2D LT
RICHARD M KRUG 2D LT
JOSEPH E MIX T SGT
AIR CORPS
AUGUST 1 1943
1281
