Norman Martin Nelson was born on September 3, 1922, in Hidalgo County, Texas. He was the son of Otto R. Nelson and Anna Marie "Mary" Johnson Nelson. He graduated from high school in Magnolia, Minnesota, before attending Mankato on a scholarship. After the outbreak of World War II, Norman Nelson enlisted in the Army Air Corps to pursue pilot training. Upon graduation, he was awarded his wings and commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant. He later trained at several airfields before being deployed to England with his crew in September 1943, where he received his silver wings as a 1st Lieutenant. He served in the 700th Bomb Squadron, 445th Bomb Group, Heavy, as a First Lieutenant and Pilot of B-24H #42-64438 nicknamed “Snow Goose'' aka ''Ramblin Wreck'' during World War II.

On December 22, 1943, the aircraft took off from RAF Tibenham in Norfolk, England, as part of a bomber formation assigned to attack the railway yards at Osnabrück, Germany, an important transportation center used by the German military during World War II. Although the bomber successfully reached the target area, a technical malfunction prevented the crew from releasing their bombs. Still carrying the full bomb load, the aircraft turned back toward England and began the hazardous return flight across occupied Europe. While flying over Friesland in the Netherlands, the B-24 was intercepted by two German fighters. A fierce aerial engagement followed as the American crew fought to defend the bomber from repeated attacks. The Liberator’s gunners returned fire, but the aircraft sustained heavy damage from German cannon and machine-gun fire. Severely damaged and engulfed in flames, the bomber began rapidly losing altitude. The crew attempted to make an emergency landing near Bolsward, close to the Witteveen family farm known as Spreeuwenstein. At approximately 2:30 PM, the aircraft crashed about one kilometer south-southeast of Bolsward. The bomber exploded on impact and continued burning for several hours as the onboard bomb load detonated. None of the crew survived.

1Lt Nelson is now buried alongside fellow members of the crew in a common grave at Zachary Taylor National Cemetery in Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.wandelpaden.com