World War II Honoree

Albert F. 'Al' Norman

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Guthrie, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

SERVED AS A B-26 'MARAUDER' MEDIUM BOMBER PILOT OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER WITH THE 432ND BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON (MEDIUM), 17TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP (MEDIUM). HIS UNIT WAS STATIONED IN ALGERIA (1942-43), TUNISIA (1943), ITALY (1943-44), FRANCE (1944-45), AND AUSTRIA (1945). HIS SQUADRON PARTICIPATED IN THE TUNISIA, SICILY, NAPLES-FOGGIA, ANZIO, ROME-ARNO, SOUTHERN FRANCE, NORTH APENNINES, RHINELAND, CENTRAL EUROPE, AND AIR COMBAT-EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. AWARDED THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL WITH BRONZE LETTER 'V' DEVICE FOR VALOR NOT INVOLVING PARTICIPATION IN AERIAL FLIGHT. ALSO AWARDED THE AIR MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL AND ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL. AUTHORIZED THE PRESIDENTIAL (DISTINGUISHED) UNIT CITATION WITH BRONZE OAK LEAF CLUSTER FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM IN ACTION BY HIS SQUADRON ON TWO OCCASIONS: FIRST FOR A BOMBING ATTACK ON AN AIRFIELD IN ROME, ITALY ON JANUARY 13, 1944; AND AGAIN FOR BOMBING ATTACKS ON DEFENSES NEAR SCHWEINFURT, GERMANY ON APRIL 10, 1945. AWARDED THE FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE WITH PALM FOR ACTIONS BY HIS SQUADRON DURING OPERATIONS IN ITALY FROM APRIL-JUNE, 1944. HONORABLY DISCHARGED WITH THE RANK OF FIRST LIEUTENANT AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON. CONTINUED IN U.S. ARMY NATIONAL GUARD RESERVE AND ACTIVE SERVICE AFTER THE WAR UNTIL AGAIN HONORABLY DISCHARGED WITH THE RANK OF CAPTAIN.