351ST SQDN.. CREW JOINED THE 100TH ON 15 JUN 1944 Crew flew "THE LATEST RUMOR

Letter from Norval V Stewart, son of Norval J. Stewart March 2009
Dad was CP on the Ricci crew. It's my understanding he flew 33 missions of the 35 to complete the tour. 

On the crews 3rd mission 7/11/44 they flew what is believed to be the 'King Bee'. After securing from flight the ball turret gunner, Sgt Homer Parish, was unloading the 50 cal machine guns when one started to fire. Since one gun was not firing the ball turret began to rotate spewing 50 cal bullets all around. Dad said they could do nothing but hit the ground and wait. Sgt Parish was literally cut in half by the bullets. As an unwritten rule, a crew that had a casualty would fly the next day. I suppose this was to get their minds off of what had happened. And fly they did, 7/12,13,14/44. They had a few days off and returned to the air 7/17/44.

Dad was at Wheeler Air Base when the Japanese attacked on 12/7/41. He had been there for about 2 years and was a Staff Sgt in the parachute shop. During his time at Wheeler he spent hours in the Link trainer. He told me the instructor was glad to have a 'student' to alleviate boredom. He applied for Cadet training shortly after the attack. The dates are unknown to me as were the bases where he trained.

Dad spent about 26 years in the Army and Air Force and retired in 1968. He was in 3 wars, WWII, Korea and Viet Nam.

Ricci Crew - Mission List