World War II Honoree

Norman John Harrison, Sr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Cairo, Georgia

Honored By

American Legion Post 122

AT THE OUTBREAK OF WWII, HE VOLUNTEERED AND WAS ASSIGNED TO AIRCRAFT GUNNERY SCHOOL, KEESLER FIELD, MISSISSIPPI. HE WASHED OUT, DUE TO HIS EXCESSIVE WEIGHT. REASSIGNED AS A MESS SERGEANT IN A B-26 MARAUDER BOMBER GROUP, WHICH SOON MOVED TO ENGLAND,LATER TO NORTH AFRICA AND ON TO SICILY. WHILE IN SICILY THE ARMY ISSUED A DIRECTIVE THAT ALL PASS THE AGE OF 40 BE RETURNED TO THE U.S. AND DISCHARGED. UPON BEING HONORABLY DISCHARGED, HE JOINED THE MERCHANT MARINE AND WAS ISSUED PAPERS AS A CHIEF STEWARD. IN THIS CAPACITY HE SERVED IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC ABOARD TWO SHIPS THAT WERE SUNK DUE TO ENEMY ACTION. HE RETURNED TO THE UNITED STATES AND SIGNED ON WITH A SHIP GOING TO THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS. DURING THIS TRIP HE WAS HIT BY ENEMY SHRAPNEL AND RECEIVED SEVER LEG AND CHEST WOUNDS, THE LATTER CAUSED THE LOSS OF ONE LUNG.