Ples Wilford Norwood Jr
MilitaryPles Norwood was assigned to the 93rd Bomb Group / 409th Bomb Squadron. He was on B-24 "Red Ass" #41-23740 when it had to crash-land in Spanish Morocco on 25 February 1943, with Pilot Lt Jacob (Jake) Epting and 14 other passengers including Norwood. Arrested and interned for some time in Spain, he was released and returned to England and his unit in the Spring of 1943.
Ples Norwood flew as an Engineer / Top Turret gunner on 25 missions, including on Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1 August 1943. He flew B-24 Liberator (serial number #41-24298) nicknamed "Queenie".
Connections
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Units served with
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 409th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 409th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 17024561
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 409th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 33357215
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 409th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Master Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ground crew
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 409th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
Aircraft
Missions
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Knox County, Tennessee, United States | 11 July 1921 | the son of Ples W. and Flora E. (Burkhart) Norwood |
|
Enlisted |
Fort Mc Pherson, Atlanta, Georgia, United States | 4 January 1941 | |
|
Died |
Knox County, Tennessee, United States | 22 August 1987 | |
|
Buried |
Woodlawn Cemetery, Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee, United States | ||
| Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee, United States |
Revisions
Added a "#" to the A/C serial # in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.
Merged with duplicate entry to include details from:
- the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / roster
NARA WWII Enlistment records
US 1940 Census
SSDI (Social Security Death Index)
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / brother