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name
NICHOLS, Norman Byland Jr - Date of
birth
17 November 1922 -
Age
21 - Place of
birth
Belmont, Belmont County, Ohio -
Hometown
St. Clairsville, Belmont County, Ohio
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
15338102 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Ball Turret Gunner -
Unit
561st Bombardment Squadron,
388th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
30 January 1944 - Place of
death
Sternshorn, 1 mile south of Lemförde, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| B | 31 | 37 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Norman B. Nichols (father)
Adelaide Nichols (mother)
Elizabeth L. Nicholls (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-31209 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Janie BB
Destination: Brunswick, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the aviation industry
MACR: 2884
More information
S/Sgt Norman Nichols graduated from St Clairsville High School in 1940 and was an oiler of machinery.He volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States at Fort Thomas, Newport, Kentucky on 31 October 1942.
The airplane was hit by flak which knocked out two engines. S/Sgt Nichols was last seen by a crew member, standing behind his turret, badly injured.
Six crew members were taken prisoner, four were killed. they were initially buried at the Russian Cemetery "Wetscherwiesen" near Diepholz on 31 January 1944.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, WWIIMemorial.com, NARA, Footnote.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, https://catalog.archives.gov/id/18238601 - page 125
Photo source: www.findagrave;com, Storiesbehindthestars.org, Eight Airforce Historical Society