Background
Heindl was born in Rochester, New York on June 14, 1910 to Florence May and William Casper Heindl.
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Elmer W. Heindl
Edit ProfileEducation
He was the oldest of 6 children and graduated from Saint Andrew’s Preparatory Seminary and Saint Bernard’s Seminary to became a Catholic priest on June 6, 1936.
Career
Enlisting in 1942, Heindl served in the Pacific theater, including Guadalcanal, New Britain, Bougainville, Manila and the Philippines. He became one of the most highly decorated chaplains of the conflict. Enlisting in March 1942 as a United States Army chaplain, Heindl served in the Pacific.
He was decorated in 1943 for aiding United States troops while under mortar fire, and in 1944 received the Bronze Star for helping bury American dead in the Solomon Islands, and was awarded the Silver Star a year later in the Philippines.
The two men gave aid to the dying soldier while continually under fire every time Russell used a flashlight to assess the injuries. Two days later, on April 17, Heindl rescued American colonel Lawrence Kermit White, bringing him to an aid station while under fire.
Of these actions he stated:
"I went down there to do my duty as chaplain, and that’s what saved me, doesn’t add one bit to my stature. Whatever happened was none of my doing whatsoever."
After the war, Heindl served in the parishes of Saint Charles Borromeo in Greece, Saint Andrew and Saint Mary in Rochester, Holy Trinity in Webster and Saint Theodore in Gates, as well as on missions to Genoa and Fleming.
In 1970 he was awarded the Legion of Merit, and he continued to serve until he retired in 1980.
In March 2006, Heindl received 3rd degree burns after falling in a shower, and was recuperating in Rochester"s Strong Memorial Hospital’s burn unit when he died on July 17. On September 8, 2012, the Armed Forces Reserve Center at Fort Benning, Georgia was memorialized in honor of Chaplain Heindl.
Achievements
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Also in 1945 he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for "heroism under fire" in Manila on April 15, one of only 19 chaplains to have been awarded lieutenant Heindl retrieved the body of an American casualty from a prison watchtower while under fire and then returned to rescue a wounded soldier with the aid of Private First Class Elmer Russell, who also received the Distinguished Service Cross. Heindl went on to serve with the Monroe County Veterans of Foreign Wars, the United Veterans Association of Monroe County and the Monroe County Veterans’ Advisory Committee, the latter awarded him the Veterans Advocate of the Year award in 1991.
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Born
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Died
July 17, 2006 (aged 96) -
Nationality
United States -
Religion
Catholic
Awards
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Bronze Star Medal; legionnaire of Legion of Merit; Silver Star; Legion of Merit Distinguished Service Cross; Legion of Merit; the Year award
The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements.The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements.