Lost Sailor's Mother Dies Climbing Hill to Greet Fleet
Still holding faint hope that her son still was alive, Mrs. Elizabeth Arnold Heggie, 60, former Louisvillian, died of a heart attack yesterday while climbing Telegraph Hill in San Francisco to welcome the returning Third Fleet, according to a United Press dispatch.
She was carrying a telegram from the navy informing her that her son, RdM3c William Heggie, 20, was missing in action following the explosion of the cruiser Indianapolis off the Philippines July 30th.
Her purse also contained a bundle of letters from her son.
Source CreditsLouisville Courier-Journal, Wednesday, October 17, 1945, p. 13.
USS Indianapolis Report of Changes for July 6, 1944.
Ancestry.com, U.S. World War II Navy, Marines Corps and Coast Guard, 1941-1945, California, Killed in Action.
Oakland Tribune, 06 Sep 1945, p. 26; citing Buddies of William Arnold Heggie.
Santa Cruz Sentinel, Santa Cruz, California, October 16, 1945, p. 5; citing death of Elizabeth Arnold Heggie.
The San Francisco News, Tues, Oct 16, 1945, p. 1; photo of William Arnold Heggie
Porterville Recorder, (Porterville, CA), Mon, Oct 29, 1945, p. 5; citing photo of William Heggie and his mother, Elizabeth Heggie.
Oakland Tribune (Okland, CA), Wed, Oct 17, 1945, p. 9; citing two sister.
The San Bernardino County Sun (CA), Wed, Oct 17, 1945, p. 1; citing Elizabeth Heggie Dies Climbing Hill.
San Francisco Chronicle, Thur, Oct 18, 1945, p. 7; citing Ample Funds For Burial"
The San Francisco Examiner, Fri, Oct 19, 1945, p. 19; citing funeral of Elizabeth Heggie.
Rank / Rating: RDM3-Radarman Third Class
Having completed high school, William Heggie registered for the draft on June 30, 1942, at the age of 19 - the average age of young men on Indianapolis’ final sailing crew. A note on his draft card states that he had a scar in the center of his forehead. As the person who would always know his where-abouts, he listed his mother, Elizabeth, living at 317 Gaines Street, Little Rock, Pulaski Co., Arkansas. But curiously another name and address is written on a white sticker - Dr. J. W. Hamm, 106 Capitol Avenue - seemingly added later.
He enlisted in the USNR on January 18, 1943 at Little Rock, AK. His basic training was at the Naval Training Station, San Diego, CA where is rate advanced to S2c (Seaman second class) on March 18, 1943.
After basic training William was assigned to USS Indianapolis CA 35 on April 17, 1943. On October 1, 1943 his rate advanced to S1c (Seaman first class).
William advanced to RdM3c (Radarman Third Class (T) on July 1, 1944.
William was killed July 30, 1945, in the tragic sinking of USS Indianapolis. Military records of his death listed his mother Mrs. Elizabeth Arnold Heggie as living at 2311 Laurel Avenue, Oakland, California. She had moved station-to-station with William and remained in Oakland when he went aboard Indianapolis
After receiving the telegram of her son missing in action, Mrs. Heggie posted this newspaper notice dated September 6, 1945, seemingly before she received the second telegram verifying his death:
“BUDDIES” of William Arnold Heggie, “missing” U.S.S. Indianapolis, get in touch with His mother at once, please 1730 MacArthur Boulevard.”
On October 16, 1945, the Santa Cruz Sentinel also reported the tragic death of Mrs. Elizabeth Arnold Heggie:
At age 60, despite her heart condition, Elizabeth had attempted to walk up San Francisco’s steep Telegraph Hill to watch the return of the Fifth Fleet - explaining she knew her son was not aboard but wanted to pay her respects to the navy boys. Police had seen her walking slowly, resting, and walking slowly again. She collapsed holding a purse containing letters from her son, William, and a wrinkled telegram advising that her son was missing in action.
William was awarded the Asiatic-Pacific ribbon with one silver (representing 5 bronze starts) and four bronze stars representing the nine battle stars awarded to Indianapolis since he had been on board.
He was awarded the Purple Heart, posthumously. His name is inscribed on the Tablets of the Missing in the Manila American Cemetery, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig, Philippines.
William, you are not forgotten.
