Eugene A. Heithoff
World War II
Eugene Heithoff was born on April 12, 1921, on a farm northeast of Templeton to Joseph and Martha (Roth) Heithoff. He attended Sacred Heart School and had a life-long interest in playing, coaching and watching baseball and softball.
Eugene registered for the military draft on February 16, 1942, and indicated he was employed on his father’s farm. He was inducted into the US Army on December 4, 1942, at Camp Dodge near Des Moines and was assigned serial number 37-446-651. He was assigned to the US Army Air Forces and sent to the Atlantic City Training Facility in New Jersey for basic training.
After initial training, Eugene talents were recognized and he began a series of training courses to join the newly formed Air Warning units that used radar. He first attended radio school in Kansas City, MO. By April 6, 1943, he had been promoted to Corporal and enjoyed a furlough in Templeton. His next stop was Camp Murphy near Jupiter, FL for radar training, much of which was still top secret at that time. By July 10, 1943, Eugene was sent to Drew Field near Jacksonville, FL where Signal Air Warning (SAW) units were being formed. By October 2, 1943, he was a part of Company E of the 555th SAW Battalion as a radar operator.
As the SAW units prepared to transit to Europe, Eugene received his final assignment to Company A of the 573rd SAW Batallion. They sailed from Boston, MA on December 29, 1943, and arrived at Glasgow, Scotland on January 12, 1944. A few days later they reached Henley on Thames, England. Change came immediately as they learned they would be using British radar equipment requiring additional training. This training was primarily in the area of defensive aircraft warning to alert US forces of incoming enemy attack. By April 26, 1944, the 573rd SAW began moving to the Newcastle area.
Activity at Newcastle was a combination of training and operations. Eugene was at Newcastle when the D-Day invasion occurred on June 6, 1944. The 573rd SAW was preparing to go to Europe to assist the advancing Allied armies. They moved to Chilbolton in southern England on July 15, 1944 and landed at Utah Beach in Normandy on August 29, 1944. They immediately moved to a station near Rennes and replaced other SAW units.
On September 11, 1944, the 573rd was transferred to the XXIX Tactical Air Command to support the US Ninth Army. They moved to Vermand, France on September 21. The 573rd SAW changed its activities to offensive aircraft warning. The unit moved to Belgium on October 19, 1944, where they were to spend the winter. At this point, Eugene was promoted to Sergeant.
Fortunately, they moved away from St. Vith, Belgium before the Germans launched the Battle of the Bulge in December. While in the Ardennes Forest, they were bombed by German aircraft. By March, 1945, they were once again on the move to Viersen, Germany. They continued to move and were near Brunswick, Germany when the Germans surrendered on May 8, 1945.
The 573rd was involved in some occupation duty and sailed from LeHavre, France on December 12, 1945, arriving in New York on December 21. They were processed through Camp Kilmer, NJ. Eugene was discharged at Camp Grant near Rockford, IL on December 27, 1945. He returned to Templeton and, on May 20, 1946, married Margaret Schaeuble in Templeton. He was engaged in farming and agricultural activities for the remainder of his life. Eugene died in Carroll on May 17, 2017 at age 96. He was buried in Sacred Heart Cemetery in Templeton.