William C. Norris (general)

William Clark Norris (20 September 1926 – 4 November 2024) was a United States Air Force major general who served as a command pilot in the Korean War and the Vietnam War, completing 200 combat missions.^[1] He was awarded the Air Force Cross for extraordinary heroism during a strike against the Paul Doumer Bridge on 12 August 1967.^[2] Norris commanded the 20th Tactical Fighter Wing, Headquarters Command, U.S. Air Force, the 76th Airlift Division, and the Third Air Force.^[1]

Norris was born in Port Jervis, New York. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve on 11 January 1944, while still attending Port Jervis High School, and was called to active duty in the Army Air Forces in February 1945, during the final months of World War II.^[3] He served as a flight engineer until entering the Air Force Reserve on 3 December 1946.^[3] He did not see combat during the war. He graduated from Port Jervis High School in 1944 and entered the Aviation Cadet Program on 20 February 1948, beginning pilot training at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, and graduating at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona, on 25 February 1949 with a commission as a second lieutenant.

In 1949, Norris was assigned to the 20th Fighter Group at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, flying Republic F-84 Thunderjet aircraft. In July 1950, he participated in the first crossing of the Atlantic by a complete jet fighter group when the 20th Fighter Group flew F-84s to Manston, England.^[1] In December 1950, the unit redeployed to Shaw Air Force Base.

In March 1951, Norris was assigned to Japan, where he flew F-80C Shooting Star aircraft on air defense missions.^[3] In April 1951, he moved to Korea with the 39th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 18th Fighter-Bomber Wing, transitioning to the North American F-51 Mustang for combat operations.^[4] He completed 100 combat missions over North Korea before returning in October 1951.

On 19 August 1951, as squadron leader of a flight of eighteen F-51 aircraft, Norris led his formation through low-hanging clouds and intermittent rain showers to attack targets at Chongju, deep within North Korea. The flight made a series of attacks using bombs, rockets, and machine guns on marshalling yards, railway cars, and petroleum, oil, and lubricant storage areas.^[4] For this mission, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.^[1]

Following his return from Korea, Norris attended All-Weather Interceptor School and in March 1952 was assigned to the 54th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, where he served as operations officer. The squadron was part of Air Defense Command and tasked with defending Strategic Air Command bomber and missile assets at Ellsworth from Soviet long-range aviation.^[1]

In January 1959, he transferred to the 449th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at Ladd Air Force Base, Alaska, flying air defense missions in the northern approaches to North America. He later became chief of the Fighter-Operations Branch of the 11th Air Division. Ladd Air Force Base closed in January 1961 and was transferred to the United States Army as Fort Wainwright.

In September 1960, Norris was briefly assigned to the 3750th Air Base Group at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas. He entered the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, in September 1961 and graduated in June 1962. Following graduation, he was assigned to the staff of Headquarters Air Defense Command at Ent Air Force Base, Colorado, serving in various operations staff positions.^[1]

In June 1965, he was transferred to Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, serving first as chief of the Standardization and Evaluation Division, 4756th Air Defense Wing, and later as commander of the 4757th Air Defense Squadron.^[1]

Norris arrived in Southeast Asia in November 1966 and served at Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base as chief of the Operations Branch, 355th Tactical Fighter Wing. In January 1967, he served first as operations officer and then assumed command of the 333rd Tactical Fighter Squadron, equipped with Republic F-105 Thunderchief aircraft.^[5] He completed 100 combat missions over North Vietnam during this tour.

On 5 May 1967, Norris flew as number three in a four-ship flight against a railroad yard in North Vietnam. Disregarding heavy anti-aircraft fire directly over the target, he made a precise dive bomb run, placing his ordnance on the yard. For this mission, he was awarded a second Distinguished Flying Cross.^[4]

On 17 July 1967, Norris was force commander of a sixteen-ship strike force directed to attack a railroad yard in one of the most heavily defended areas in Southeast Asia. He led his flight through intense anti-aircraft fire to place ordnance directly on the target, despite his own aircraft sustaining damage. For this action, he was awarded the Silver Star.^[1]

By mid-1967, the Paul Doumer Bridge spanning the Red River at Hanoi was one of the most important and heavily defended targets in North Vietnam, carrying both road and rail traffic critical to the flow of supplies southward. On 11 August 1967, Air Force strikes damaged but did not destroy the bridge. Norris, who had flown more than 90 combat missions at that point, had planned the previous day's strike led by Colonel Robert M. White. Norris was then selected to lead the follow-up mission on 12 August.^[2][6]

On 12 August 1967, Norris led a strike force of twenty F-105 aircraft against the bridge. As force commander and leader of the flak-suppression flight, he was approaching the target when four MiG-17 fighters attacked his formation from the rear.^[4] Norris ordered his pilots to hold their bombs and turned head-on into the MiGs, opening fire with his aircraft's 20mm cannon. After drawing the MiGs away from the strike force, he evaded them and returned to attack the target successfully.^[2] The strike dropped the bridge's center span into the Red River.^[2]

For this extraordinary heroism, Norris was awarded the Air Force Cross.^[7][4]

In October 1967, Norris was transferred to The Pentagon as assistant executive officer to the chief of the National Guard Bureau, serving until August 1968.^[1] He then served as deputy director and later director of Operational Inspection at Headquarters Aerospace Defense Command, Ent Air Force Base, Colorado, from August 1968 to August 1970.^[1] He entered the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base in August 1970 and graduated in May 1971.

In July 1971, Norris was assigned as vice commander of the 50th Tactical Fighter Wing at Hahn Air Base, West Germany, and subsequently became the wing's commander.^[1][8] In February 1973, he assumed command of the 20th Tactical Fighter Wing at RAF Upper Heyford, England, coinciding with his promotion to brigadier general.^[1][8] The wing operated F-111E aircraft. In November 1973, Norris was appointed deputy chief of staff for plans at Headquarters United States Air Forces in Europe, Ramstein Air Base, West Germany, and in July 1974 became inspector general of United States Air Forces in Europe.^[1][8]

On 15 August 1975, Norris became commander of Headquarters Command, U.S. Air Force, at Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C.^[1] He was promoted to major general on 6 February 1976, with date of rank 13 June 1973. When Headquarters Command was disestablished on 30 June 1976,^[9] he was named commander of the 76th Airlift Division at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, on 1 July 1976. The 76th Airlift Division provided VIP airlift for the President, Vice President, cabinet members, and foreign dignitaries. He served in this position until 26 July 1977, when he was succeeded by Major General Benjamin F. Starr Jr.

On 1 August 1977, Norris assumed command of the Third Air Force, United States Air Forces in Europe, with headquarters at RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk, England. Third Air Force headquarters had relocated to Mildenhall from RAF South Ruislip in June 1972.^[10] During Norris's tenure, NATO adopted the dual-track decision in December 1979, which would later bring ground-launched cruise missiles to bases under Third Air Force's area of responsibility.^[10] He served as Third Air Force commander until his retirement from the Air Force on 1 July 1980.

Norris married Marcie Myhra of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on 27 September 1952.^[11] They had two children: a daughter, Kathleen (Kate) Norris Tucker of Spicer, Minnesota, and a son, Matthew Norris of Boston, Virginia.^[3]

Marcie Norris died on 26 May 2020.^[11] Norris died on 4 November 2024, at age 98, at The Manor at Bluewater Bay in Niceville, Florida.^[12][3] He was survived by his children, Kathleen and Matthew; grandchild, Spencer Selle; and great-grandchildren, Brezlyn and Maddex Selle.^[3] He was interred with full military honors at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery in Redwood Falls, Minnesota, on 28 March 2025.^[13]

• 1944–1946, enlisted service, U.S. Army Air Forces
• 1949–1951, pilot, 20th Fighter Group, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina
• 1951, pilot, 39th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 18th Fighter-Bomber Wing, Korea
• 1952–1959, pilot and operations officer, 54th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota
• 1959–1960, chief, Fighter-Operations Branch, 11th Air Division, Ladd Air Force Base, Alaska
• 1961–1962, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
• 1962–1965, staff officer, Headquarters Air Defense Command, Ent Air Force Base, Colorado
• 1965–1966, commander, 4757th Air Defense Squadron, Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida
• 1966–1967, commander, 333rd Tactical Fighter Squadron, 355th Tactical Fighter Wing, Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand
• 1967–1968, assistant executive officer, National Guard Bureau, Washington, D.C.
• 1968–1970, director, Operational Inspection, Headquarters Aerospace Defense Command
• 1970–1971, student, Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
• 1971–1973, vice commander/commander, 50th Tactical Fighter Wing, Hahn Air Base, West Germany
• 1973, commander, 20th Tactical Fighter Wing, RAF Upper Heyford, England
• 1973–1974, deputy chief of staff for plans, Headquarters United States Air Forces in Europe
• 1974–1975, inspector general, Headquarters United States Air Forces in Europe
• 1975–1976, commander, Headquarters Command, United States Air Force, Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C.
• 1976–1977, commander, 76th Airlift Division, Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland
• 1977–1980, commander, Third Air Force, RAF Mildenhall, England

• Official Air Force Biography
• Military Times Hall of Valor – William Clark Norris