Corporal Heftka was a member of Company L, 3rd Battalion, 39th Infantry Regiment stationed at Fort Dix, New Jersey. He died on 17 October 1951 when as a passenger, his automobile struck a parked tractor-trailer near Fort Dix.

Heftka was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.