World War II Honoree

Leslie Pulford Norman

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Tacoma, Washington

Honored By

E. Gladys Norman

Relationship

Wife

CHIEF GUNNER'S MATE. SERVED IN THE U.S. ARMY FROM MARCH 1936 TO MARCH 1938. ENLISTED IN THE U.S. NAVY ON NOVEMBER 14, 1939. DISCHARGED JUNE 1, 1946 FROM THE U.S. NAVY HOSPITAL IN BREMERTON, WASHINGTON WITH 20 PERCENT DISABILITY, FINAL DISCHARGE WAS ON JUNE 4, 1947. HIS U.S. NAVY SERVICE WAS ENTIRELY IN THE PACIFIC THEATER ABOARD MINESWEEPERS SUCH AS THE USS AMETHYST AND THE USS BOND, OPERATING IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE PACIFIC, FROM THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS, INCLUDING DUTCH HARBOR, ALASKA. HE WAS ABOARD THE USS AMETHYST IN SAN PEDRO, WHEN THE JAPANESE BOMBED PEARL HARBOR AND WAS PART OF THE FLEET SEARCHING FOR THE ENEMY SUBMARINES IN LOS ANGELES HARBOR FOLLOWING THE BEGINNING OF THE WAR IN THE PACIFIC. HE TAUGHT GUNNERY TO NEW RECRUITS ON THE ISLAND OF OAHU IN THE LATTER PART OF 1944. HIS DATES OF SERVICE SHOW, HE RECEIVED THE 2ND HIGHEST SERVICE PAY AWARD IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON FOR SERVICE DURING THE WAR.