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Norman Krapf graduated at Franklin High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Coe College and was a student in Chicago Technical college when he enlisted in the army air corps in December, 1942. He took basic training at St. Petersburg, Fla. Completing radio training at the army air force technical school in Chicago and receiving his aerial gunner's wings at Tyndall field, Fla., he took further training at Salt Lake City, Utah and Biggs field, Texas and left the United States early in March.

A returning eye-witness' account stated that this aircraft had come under attack by single enemy fighter and that 6 parachutes were seen immediately thereafter. No other details were given in this MACR concerning friendly force accounts about this aircrew. A German Report #KU1834 did shed some light on the crew's fate following the fighter attacks: that this plane was shot down by a fighter near Hessen, 21 km northwest of Wernigerode and that it had exploded mid-air. Parts of the aircraft were scattered over a 1 kilometer area; and with exception of the elevator control, the ship was over 90% destroyed with the fuselage and wings burnt down. This report went on to relate aspects about the plane's armor and bullet-proof glass in that armore plating which was found 13mm and 16mm thick and that the glass around the tail turret was 53 mm in thickness. It further noted that no high explosives were found in the wreckage, but ten 50 calibre rounds were recovered.

S/Sgt Krapf was buried in a village cemetery west of Gross-Winnigstedt, Germany.