Norman Bruce Clendenen was born on September 4, 1918 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California. He resided in Los Angeles County, California prior to the war. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on February 11, 1941, prior to the war, at March Field, Riverside, California. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Financial institution clerk and also as Single, without dependents. Norman served as a First Lieutenant and Pilot on B-24J #44-40783, 425th Bomber Squadron, 308th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

B-24J #44-40783 took off, with a crew of 10 & 1 passenger, from Liuchow Airfield, China on a combat mission targeting shipping in Takao Harbor near Takao, Formosa (Taiwan). During this mission they were shot down by Japanese A6M Zeros and crashed into the sea. The entire crew was lost. He was declared "Missing in Action" on August 31, 1944 and is commemorated on the Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery, Taguig City, Philippines.

Norman was one of over 2000 Americans who lost their lives defending China from their Japanese invaders from 1941-1945. He is commemorated on the The Monument to the Aviation Martyrs in the War of Resistance Against Japan in Nanjing, China.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov