Fred Hargesheimer

The World War II Pilot Who Repaid the Village That Saved His Life

On 5 June 1943, a Japanese fighter shot down an unarmed American reconnaissance aircraft over New Britain in the Southwest Pacific. Its pilot, First Lieutenant Fred Hargesheimer, parachuted into the jungle and began an extraordinary struggle for survival. The courage of the villagers who eventually rescued him would shape the rest of his life.

Born on 7 May 1916 in Rochester, Minnesota, Frederic Grant "Fred" Hargesheimer studied electrical engineering before entering the U.S. Army in 1941. He became a pilot with the 8th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron of the Fifth Air Force, flying camera-equipped Lockheed Lightning aircraft over Japanese-held territory during World War II.

His 49th reconnaissance mission ended when enemy fire disabled his Lockheed F-5A Lightning. After surviving 31 days alone in the New Britain jungle, he was discovered by members of the Nakanai community. They sheltered, fed and protected him from Japanese patrols for months, risking their own lives to save his. Australian personnel eventually arranged his evacuation, and USS Gato rescued him on 5 February 1944.

Hargesheimer's military decorations included the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, Purple Heart and Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal. His wartime service also qualified him for the World War II Victory Medal. By December 1944, he had attained the rank of Major.

But his most enduring contribution came after the war. In 1960, Hargesheimer returned to New Britain to thank the people who had saved him. Discovering the community's need for education, he helped establish the Airmen's Memorial School, which opened in 1964. His efforts later supported additional educational and health facilities, and he and his wife Dorothy spent years helping the island community.

Fred Hargesheimer died on 23 December 2010 in Lincoln, Nebraska, aged 94. His legacy extended beyond his decorations and extraordinary wartime survival to the generations of children whose lives were changed by his determination to repay an unforgettable act of kindness.