World War II Honoree

Norman Gauvreau

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Lewiston, Maine

Honored By

Kenneth Gauvreau

Relationship

Son

JOINED THE NAVY IN LEWISTON AS AN AVIATOR IN 1941, GOING TO CHAPEL HILL NORTH CAROLINA FOR PRE-FLIGHT SCHOOL (BASIC TRAINING). FROM THERE HE WENT TO PENSACOLA WHERE HE GOT HIS WINGS. HE JOINED THE MARINES THERE AS A LIEUTENANT AND WENT TO MARINE FLIGHT SCHOOL NEAR BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. HIS TRAINING THERE WAS ON THE OLD BI-PLANES WITH CANVAS COVERED WINGS. HE WAS SENT TO THE PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS VIA CALIFORNIA. HE SPENT A COUPLE MONTHS FLYING OUT OF EL TORO MARINE CORPS AIR STATION SOUTHEAST OF SANTA ANA. HE SHIPPED OUT ON THE USS SAVO ISLAND TO THE SOLOMON ISLANDS AS PART OF VMF222. HE WAS A MARINE PILOT, FLYING CORSAIRS AS HIS UNIT FOUGHT ITS WAY THROUGH THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. HE STARTED WITH THE UNIT ON GREEN ISLAND, WAS ON SAMAR FOR A WHILE, AND WAS ON LEAVE AT OLD ORCHARD BEACH WHEN THE ATOMIC BOMB WAS FIRST DROPPED, AND DID NOT RETURN TO SERVICE.