While I don't know of any songs written about him, he is pretty much a folk person who probably deserves one, so maybe someone here will find material for something.

Fred Hargesheimer Obit

Fred was a WWII pilot who was shot down on a recon mission over New Guinea, and was rescued by natives there. Some years later, he scraped together enough funds to return and contract for building of the island's first school, and later helped them with a clinic and other "civilizations."

The name was familiar to me from a fairly recent article that I believe I saw in Smithsonian Magazine within the past year, but I wasn't able to find that one immediately.

The obitiuary above links to an article, Mastah Preddi, that gives some detail similar to what was in the Smithsonian article.

Another version is in a disappointingly brief pdf that appears to be "autobiographical" by Fred at The Story of Fred Hargesheimer and includes some additional information that was in the Smithsonian story, although the two together don't give quite all the details.

If nothing musical is inspired, we also have those interested in recent history - especially wartime stuff - who should know this story.

John