Norman Adolph Pepper

These awards are based on the information below and per applicable DoD Directives and Awards Manuals:
American Defense Service Medal Awarded for service between September 8, 1939 and December 7, 1941 under orders to active duty for a period of 12 months or longer.
American Campaign Service Medal Awarded to Service members serving outside the Continental United States in the American Theater for at least 30 days between December 7, 1941 and March 2, 1946, or who served during that period for an aggregate period of 1 year in the Continental United States.
World War II Victory Medal Awarded for military service between December 7, 1941 and December 31, 1946, both dates inclusive.
 Note that this list may not include all awarded medals, devices, unit citations or qualification badges.

Documents, Forms and Resources Found or Not Found:
Yes Application For Headstone or Marker, OQMG Form 623
Yes Enlistment Records National Archives Database, on this page
No  Eyewitness Statement or Report
Yes Grave Marker Photo, Find A Grave
No Official Group or Squadron Accident Reports
No  Photo of veteran
Yes United States Federal Census, 1930-Yes, 1940-Yes
No  Washington Newspaper Obit, Notice, or Report
No  WWII Draft Card Data
Yes WWII Hospital Admission Records

WWII Hospital Admission Records
Norman Adolph Pepper
Service Number: 19013284
Gender: Male
Race: White/Mexican (White)
Rank: Enlisted Man
Admission Age: 20
Birth Date: About 1922
Birth Place: Montana
Admission Date: July 1942
Admission Place: Roswell Air Corps Fac., Roswell, New Mexico
Discharge Date: July (1942)
Military Branch: Air Force
Diagnosis: Aircraft, heavier than air
Injured in Line of Duty: In line of duty
Length of service: 1 year - 2 year

Note 1, Death Location: "Near Roswell, New Mexico" is based on the best information available at this time. In the case of PVT/Aviation Cadet Pepper, this location was estimated on:

A. His OQMC Form 623, Application For Headstone or Marker, identifies his assigned unit as Aviation Cadet, Army Air School, Roswell NM, Enlistment Date October 25, 1940 and date of death as July 2, 1942.

B. Hospital Admission Records indicate that PVT Pepper died on July 2, 1942, as a result of "Causative Agent: Aircraft, heavier than air".

C. There were two aircraft accident records for Roswell Army Air School on July 2, both involved AT-6 Aircraft. The AT-6, "North American T-6 Texan" was a two seat, single-engined advanced trainer aircraft used to train pilots of the United States Army Air Forces.

D. The first accident was with AT-6 Serial Number 41-15951, pilot, Winston J. Bradford, listed event: "Forced Landing due to Engine Failure". The second was with AT-6 Serial Number 41-16395, pilot, Sam H. Slaughter, listed event: "Killed in a Take Off Accident". It is likely, but unverified, that Aviation Cadet Pepper was killed in the second accident. It has not been verified that Sam H. Slaughter died in this accident. See Find A Grave Memorial 3050115 for more details.

E. Further information on the Army Air School at Roswell NM (renamed Walker Air Force Base in 1948) can be found at Wikipedia website Army Air School, Roswell NM, History-WWII.

Anyone with additional information or a more specific location is welcomed and encouraged to submit an email to: ww2updates@withmilitaryhonors.com.

The following information on this casualty is sourced from The National Archives Database:
 Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938 - 1946 (Enlistment Records)

 Do you have comments, questions, corrections or updates about PVT Norman Pepper? With Military Honors would like to hear from you. To submit a picture, leave a comment or add any relevant military or family information to honor this veteran, send an email to nick@withmilitaryhonors.com.
 Your information will be reviewed and posted as soon as it can be processed.