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Personal info

Full name
MELVIN, Norman Edward
Date of birth
15 June 1924
Age
20
Place of birth
Baltimore, Maryland
Hometown
Baltimore, Maryland

Military service

Service number
T-133125
Rank
Flight Officer
Function
Navigator
Unit
534th Bombardment Squadron,
381st Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
8 April 1945
Place of death
Göttingen, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
B 10 3

Immediate family

Members
Andrew L. Melvin (father)
Eleanora M. (Kelly) Melvin (mother)
Lee Melvin (brother)
Doris Melvin (sister)
Frank J. McKenna (halfbrother)
James McKenna (halfbrother)

Plane data

Serial number
44-6173
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Miss Florala
Destination: Stendal, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the marshalling yard
MACR: 13873

More information

F/O Norman E Melvin graduated from Southern High school.

The airplane was hit by flak in the right wing, radio room, nose and waist. It began burning but stayed in formation. The crew was able to put out the fire in the bomb bay but the fire in #3 engine was getting worse. The pilot put the airplane in a dive of 10,000 feet but couldn't get it out. He levelled up and was going to try to crash land but the airplane exploded at about 5,000 or 6,000 feet.

Six crew members were killed. Two men survived and managed to contact American ground forces.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment record, www.ancestry.com - 1930-1940 Census www.8thafhs.com/db/index.php, www.newspapers.com - The Baltimore Sun, WWII Draft Card

Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Des Philippet, www.newspapers.com - The Baltimore Sun