Early years and World War I Hegenberger was born at
Boston, Massachusetts, in 1895. He entered the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1913 to undertake the course in
civil engineering. When the United States entered
World War I, Hegenberger enlisted in the
Aviation Section, Signal Enlisted Reserve Corps as a
private first class (flying cadet) on September 14, 1917. He completed ground school training at the school of military aeronautics at M.I.T. in December 1917, and proceeded to
Ellington Field, Texas, where he earned a
rating of Reserve Military Aviator. He was appointed a second lieutenant in the Signal Officer Reserve Corps on April 6, 1918. He was sent to the pilot pool at the Aviation Concentration Center at Camp John Dick,
Dallas, Texas; then assigned successively to the School of Aerial Observers,
Post Field,
Fort Sill,
Oklahoma; the School of Aerial Gunnery,
Taliaferro Field, Texas, graduating as a gunnery pilot of July 5, 1918; and in October, 1918 back to M.I.T. for a four-month course in aeronautical engineering.
Air Service and Air Corps Upon completing his technical training in February 1919, Hegenberger became chief of the Instrument Branch at
McCook Field,
Dayton, Ohio. He was commissioned a
first lieutenant,
Air Service, in the Regular Army July 1, 1920, and subsequently served as assistant engineer of the Equipment Section, Air Service Engineering Division. Hegenberger transferred overseas to the
72nd Bombardment Squadron at
Luke Field,
Hawaii, in October 1923, and later served as operations officer of the
5th Composite Group. In March 1925, he was transferred to the 5th's
23rd Bombardment Squadron. He joined the
30th Bombardment Squadron at
Rockwell Field,
San Diego, California, in August 1935, and was made squadron commander in October. He later moved with this unit to
March Field, California, where he served until August 1937. Hegenberger was a student at the
Air Corps Tactical School at
Maxwell Field,
Alabama from September 1937 to June 1938. He then moved on to
Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, where he completed the
Command and General Staff School in June 1939. Hegenberger was assigned to
Hickam Field, Hawaii, as operations officer of the
5th Bombardment Group in July 1939, and the following February became operations officer of the
18th Wing at Hickam Field. He moved to
Fort Shafter, Hawaii, in November 1940 to become assistant chief of staff for operations of the
Hawaiian Air Force, and in April 1941, was named commanding officer of the
11th Bombardment Group at Hickam Field. Hegenberger retired August 31, 1949. and in 1976 was enshrined in the
National Aviation Hall of Fame. He died of
pneumonia in
Goldenrod, Florida on August 31, 1983. ==Awards and decorations==