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name
SCHOOLCRAFT, Norman James - Date of
birth
23 January 1920 -
Age
23 - Place of
birth
Clinton, Washita County, Oklahoma -
Hometown
Yakima, Yakima County, Washington
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
19059044 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Tail Gunner -
Unit
525th Bombardment Squadron,
379th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Finding of Death - Date of
death
25 June 1943 - Place of
death
Brahe, near Rhede, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| D | 11 | 30 |
Immediate family
-
Members
James Schoolcraft (father)
Flonnie E. Schoolcraft (mother)
Tilford W. Waters (stepfather)
Francis S. Schoolcraft (brother)
Charles M. Waters (stepbrother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-3023 -
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Boozeness
Destination: Hamburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of Blohm & Voss naval shipyards
MACR: 1365
More information
S/Sgt Norman J. Schoolcraft worked as a jockey.He joined the Air Corps of the Regular Army in Seattle, Washington on 23 September 1941.
Although the primary targets were the shipyards of Hamburg, these were not attacked because they were obscured by clouds. Instead, the 379th Bomber Group attacked targets of oppurtunity at Wangerooge Isle, Netherlands.
The aircraft was shot down by enemy aircraft and exploded in mid-air.
Five crew members were taken prisoner, five men were killed.
It was the crew's third mission.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record, www.ancestry.com - Waters Family Tree, www.fold3.com - MACR, WWII Draft Card
Photo source: Jac Engels