Capt. Franklin Pierce Norton

Birth 18 Sep 1921

Gainesboro, Jackson County, Tennessee, USA

Death 10 Dec 2020 (aged 99)Newark, Licking County, Ohio, USA

Burial Newark Memorial Gardens

Newark, Licking County, Ohio, USA  GPS-Latitude: 40.1173222, Longitude: -82.4293583

Memorial ID 219673122

A graveside service for Franklin Pierce Norton, age 99, of Newark, will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 16, in the Newark Memorial Gardens Mausoleum Chapel with Pastor Rob Hartman officiating. Military honors will be observed prior to the service by the Licking County Veterans Alliance.



Franklin was born September 18, 1921 in Gainesboro, Tennessee to the late James and Annie A. (Chaffin) Norton. He passed away on Thursday, December 10, 2020 at the Inn at SharonBrooke.



Frank was a veteran of the United States Army Air Corps and faithfully served his country during World War II. He was a Captain on B-24’s and flew 31 missions, two of which were flown on D-day. He retired from the Newark Air Force Base after 30 years of service where he had been a Foreman. Frank was a member of the Southgate Church of Christ and the American Legion. He enjoyed tinkering with electronics, traveling, golfing, and playing cards.



He is survived by his loving wife of 70 years, Irene C. (Fisher) Norton, whom he married March 10, 1950; daughter; grandchildren; and nieces and nephews.



In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by three brothers and three sisters.

RETIREMENT

Franklin Norton, inertial guidance digital computer foreman in missile production branch (MAKPE), was recognized in August for reaching 30 years of federal service. Shortly afterward, he decided to retire on Aug 29.



Norton had four years military service during WWII flying B-24 bombers over occupied Europe and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal with three oak clusters. [8AAF, 2Div, 491BG, 852BS, 31 Missions a/o July 1944, co-pilot and pilot Richard Grant Hogentogler 44-30241 "Starduster" Norton, awarded DFC about Oct 1944, the Unit and crew "Pueblo #46" were also decorated, for their successful 31 missions. Following relief by and new crew in July 1944, the plane was assigned to the 853rd BS where it FTR per MACR 3 Aug 1944 crashing in France. Due to a fire in 1973 NARA records of his awards are unavailable and newspaper references the only proof. Per Sgt. Donald Harold McClellan, in an article published in winter 1998: "Overseas orders listed our 852nd BS crew as Richard Hogentogler, pilot; Franklin Norton, copilot; William Kearney, navigator, Ransom Pyle, bombardier; Donald McClellan; Warren Bellis; Wilfred Smith; James Calvello; Anthony Dwojakowski; and Gerald Meyers.]



He started in civil service as a mechanic repairing electronic equipment at Gentile AFS in Dayton in 1954. He later came to NAFS as an inertial guidance digital computer repairer after the Air Force repair facility at Gentile closed.



Norton is from Cookeville, Tenn. and lives in Newark with his wife Irene. They have one daughter.



Norton plans to remain active in church activities, gardening, and also plans to travel and get in some golfing during retirement.

Newark Advocate (Ohio)

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[852BS] Assignments [per Wikipedia and http://usafunithistory.com/PDF/0400/491%20BOMB%20GP.pdf]

491st BG/852BS, 1 Oct 1943 – 8 Sep 1945

Stations

Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona, 1 Oct 1943

El Paso Army Air Field, Texas, 11 Nov 1943 – 1 Jan 1944

Ketteringham Hall (Sta 147), England (ground echelon), 1 Jan 1944

RAF North Pickenham (Sta 143), England (ground echelon), Mar 1944

Pueblo Army Air Base, Colorado, (air echelon) 1 Jan 1944

RAF Metfield (Sta 366), England, c. 25 Apr 1944

RAF North Pickenham (Sta 143), England, 15 Aug 1944 – 5 Jul 1945

Awards & campaigns

Award streamer Award Dates Notes

Distinguished Unit Citation 26 Nov 1944 Misburg

Campaign Streamer Campaign Dates Notes

Air Offensive, Europe 25 Apr 1944 – 5 Jun 1944

Air Combat, EAME Theater 25 Apr 1944 – 11 May 1945

Normandy 6 Jun 1944 – 24 Jul 1944 [DDay]

Northern France 25 Jul 1944 – 14 Sep 1944 [St Lo. Op. Cobra]

Rhineland 15 Sep 1944 – 21 Mar 1945