William Richell
William was serving as a Second Lieutenant with the 3036th Base Unit in Arizona, where he worked as an instructor pilot. Rather than flying combat missions overseas, his role was to train other airmen While he served, William left behind his wife, Nora, and family in Tonawanda. Nora was herself preparing for a life of service having enrolled in nursing school while her husband was away.
On the night of June 28, 1944, William was aboard a B-17 bomber on a late-night training navigation mission. Somewhere over Arizona, something went terribly wrong. The aircraft crashed into the Gila Mountains, killing everyone on board.
In honor of her husband, Nora went on to join the Army Nurse Corps, receiving the rank of Second Lieutenant, the same rank William had held. When asked why she chose to serve, she said simply that she joined because “she wanted to help other girls’ husbands.”
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