Julius Heitler was born in 1925 in Brooklyn, New York. He was the son of Paul and Esther Heitler. He served in the 566th Bomber Squadron, 389th Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Staff Sergeant and Gunner of B-24 #42-50452 nicknamed "Earthquake McGoon'' during World War II.

On November 21, 1944, B-24 42-50452 “Earthquake McGoon,” piloted by Lt. Alfred Brooks, was among a group of heavy bombers assembling over Norfolk, England, near RAF Hethel, where like many Eighth Air Force aircraft, it circled in a “buncher” pattern while climbing and maneuvering into a tight combat formation for a mission over Europe, a phase that was already highly dangerous even before reaching enemy territory; during this process, it collided mid-air with another B-24, serial 44-10513, as both aircraft were turning in the same circular pattern and converging while focusing on formation spacing, resulting in a sudden impact at around 13,000 feet that fatally damaged both bombers, sending 44-10513 into a violent spin while Earthquake McGoon also became uncontrollable, with both aircraft ultimately crashing near Carleton Rode, Norfolk, in a disaster that killed 17 airmen in total, including most of the crew aboard Earthquake McGoon.

SSgt Heitler is now buried in the Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial, Coton, South Cambridgeshire District, Cambridgeshire, England.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.b24-kingsize.com, weremember.abmc.gov