Captain Richard Turner Norvell was a Pilot and a Navigator with the 12th Air Force; 57th Bombardment Wing; 310th Bombardment Group; 428th Bombardment Squadron; stationed in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO)

Hometowns: Henderson, Vance County, North Carolina; and Sacramento, Sacramento County, California

Monday, 05 April 1943

428th BS War Diary: An air base in Sicily, Bo Rizzo, was the hot-spot today. Capt. Aldridge went down. Co-pilot was Lt. Southward assigned only one day. Capt. Truelove, B, Capt. Norvell, N, T/Sgt Richardson, RG, S/Sgt Schletz, G, were on the crew. They went down just off the coast of Sicily. There is some hope of their rescue by the enemy. Frags were dropped all over the field destroying numerous planes of all types. Total estimated between 80 and 90 planes

428th BS Mission Summary: (Ops Order ---/mission ---) Group Mission # 63: Bo Rizzo on the 5th was the first Sicily target to come our way. It was a costly one for the Axis but again so it was for the 428th. Captain Aldridge crash landed just off the coast when his engines were severely damaged by flak at the target. Lt. Jackson of the hapless 381st landed nearby. Both crews seemed to emerge safely from their planes.

A complete surprise, some eighty to ninety aircraft were poorly dispersed on the airdrome. Strings of frags were seen to burst along the neat rows of aircraft. Installations adjacent to the field were hit.

Four ME-109’s were seen to crash from the fire of the B-25’s and one to the escort. S/Sgt Davis, S/Sgt Langford and Sgt. Payne of the 428th notched their guns for one each. The flak at the target was moderate and accurate.

That Lt. Ray Southward, the pilot of our first replacement crew, went down with Captain Aldridge was hard. It was his first mission, and he was separated from his twin brother with whom he had attended flying school. We lost also our “A” flight leader, our squadron navigator and bombardier.

A/C B-25; No. 3 41-29961; MACR-16530; shot down by AAA;

P Aldridge, Richard A. “Dick”, Capt
CP Southward, Raymond Russell “Ray”, 2Lt
N Norvell, Richard T., Capt
B Truelove, Denver Vernon, Capt
E None
R Richardson, Warren F., T/Sgt
G Schletz, Howard G., S/Sgt
F None

428th BS: Extracts from Missing Air Crew Report # 16530: The target for B-25’s on April 5, 1943 was Bo Rizzo Airdrome, Sicily. The planes piloted by Captain Aldridge and Lieutenant Jackson of the 310th were shot down.

Captain Aldridge crash landed just off the coast when his engines were severely damaged by flak at the target.

A/C B-25; No. 41-29961
(MACR- 16530 - shot down by AAA)
P Aldridge, Richard A. “Dick”, Capt - MIA, POW, RMC
CP Southward, Raymond Russell “Ray”, 2Lt - MIA, POW, RMC, EUS
N Norvell, Richard T., Capt - KIA
B Truelove, Denver Vernon, Capt - KIA
E None
R Richardson, Warren F., T/Sgt - KIA
G Schletz, Howard G., S/Sgt - MIA, POW, escaped & evaded the enemy, and returned to Allied military control on 11 Nov 43
F None

MEMORANDUM TO: Chief, Casualty Branch.

SUBJECT: Review and Determination of Status of: Captain Denver V. Truelove, 0-427637,
and two other members of the 310th Bombardment Group.

1. Radio message number 5829 (Casualty message 112046), dated 21 April 1943, from Headquarters, North African Theater of Operations, reported the following named personnel of the 310th Bombardment Group as missing in action off the coast of Sicily since 5 April 1943:

Captain Richard A. Aldridge; 0-024025
Captain Richard T. Norvell; 0-431338
Captain Denver V. Truelove; 0-427637
Second Lieutenant Raymond R. Southward; 0-730981
Technical Sergeant Warren F. Richardson; 06138549
Staff Sergeant Howard G. Schletz 18070482

2. The following named personnel were reported prisoners of war by Prisoner of War Report US/562 (Casualty message No. 119033) received 28 April 1943 from Home through the International Red Cross:

Captain Richard A. Aldridge; 0-024025
Second Lieutenant Raymond R. Southward; 0-730981
Staff Sergeant Howard G. Schletz; 18070482

3. Radio message number W 5095 (Casualty message No. 317126), dated 13 November 1943, from Headquarters, North African Theater of Operations, reported that Staff Sergeant Howard G. Schletz, 18078482 had escaped from enemy imprisonment and returned to Allied military control on 11 November 1943.

4. Sergeant Schletz was interrogated by Military Intelligence Service after his return to duty, and the information was incorporated in EX Report No. 47, dated 12 December 1943, a copy of which was furnished to the Casualty Branch. In this report the personnel listed in paragraph 1 are named as comprising the crew of a type B-25 aircraft of the 310th Bombardment Group, 428th Bombardment Squadron. Sergeant Schletz states that the following named personnel were killed in action:

Captain Richard T. Norvell; 0-431338
Captain Denver V. Truelove; 0-427637 Technical Sergeant Warren F. Richardson; 06138549

A pertinent portion of Sergeant Schletz’ report is quoted below:

“Of the six crew members, three were drowned. Before the plane crashed I had been wounded by flak in the leg and buttocks and suffered other injuries when the plane crashed. The ship broke in two when it crashed in the sea but remained afloat for about two minutes, during which time the pilot, Capt. Richard Aldridge, the co-pilot, 2nd Lt. Southward and my self managed to extricate ourselves, but not the others.”

5. Sergeant Schletz’ account was made under circumstances which brings to its support every factor of credibility. He reported the facts after escaping from the enemy and returning to Allied military control, under which conditions he could have had no possible ulterior motive for falsification. He was clearly concerned to furnish the correct details not otherwise available and his position as a member of the crew gives weight and authority to the facts he related. His testimony, naming three crew members as dead and describing the manner in which their deaths occurred, is the best possible evidence of their death that can be expected outside of the actual recovery of their bodies.

6. It is recommended, therefore, that the status of the following named personnel be changed from “Missing in action” to “Killed in action” 5 April 1943, off the coast of Sicily:

Captain Richard T. Norvell; 0-431338
Captain Denver V. Truelove; 0-427637

Technical Sergeant Warren F. Richardson; 06138549

7. Evidence considered sufficient to conclusively establish the fact of death was received by the Secretary of War on 8 March 1944.

JOSEPH F. HENNESSEY, Captain, A. G. D., Special Determination Sub-Section.

CONCURRED IN:

JOHN T. BURNS; Colonel, A. G. D.
DANIEL P. POTEET; MAJOR, A. G. D.
Status Review and Officer in Charge,
Determination Section
Status Review and Determination Section

APPROVED:

Pursuant to the authority conferred by paragraph 1s(1) of letter AG 240 (20 Mar 43) dated 17 April 1943, subject: “Procedure under Public Law 490 in Case of Death”, an official report of death will be made showing date of death as 5 April 1943 and date of receipt of evidence of death by Secretary of War as 8 March 1944.

By order of the Secretary of War:
GEORGE F. HERBERT, Colonel, A. G. D.
Chief, Casualty Branch, A.G.O.
++++++++++

Richard T Norvell