World War II Honoree

Norman Charles Edwards

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Florida

Honored By

A Grateful American

HE SERVED IN THE ARMY AIR CORPS. HIS PLANE WAS SHOT DOWN OVER FRANCE, WHERE SIX GERMAN SOLDIERS WERE WAITING FOR HIS PARACHUTE TO LAND. HE WAS TAKEN TO THE PRISONER OF WAR CAMP, STALAG IV. ON BLACK FRIDAY THE PRISONERS WERE FORCED TO START OUT ON A LONG AND ARDUOUS MARCH, AS WORD HAD BEEN RECEIVED THAT THE RUSSIANS WERE COMING. HE WAS A STAFF SERGEANT. HE THOUGHT HE SAW AN OPPORTUNITY TO ESCAPE, AND ATTEMPTED TO DO SO. HE WAS STOPPED BY MACHINE GUN FIRE AND HE LOST BOTH OF HIS LEGS. TWO WEEKS LATER THE RUSSIANS AND AMERICAN TROOPS LIBERATED THE CAMP.