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William Norris | William Norris Bill Norris was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee on May 7, 1918. After a typical childhood which included hunting with both bow and arrow and guns, Norris joined the Clyde Beatty Circus in 1938 as an aerial trapeze performer. While working in the circus Bill met Pete LaFramboise, and they became good friends. LaFramboise left the circus in 1939 to join the RAF. Bill planned to go with him, but at the last minute he changed his mind. Norris took some flying lessons in 1939 and 1940 in an old Luscombe. Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Uncle Sam requested Bill's services in the United States Army. Bill completed infantry training, but he requested a transfer to the USAAF. He was sent to FT. Myers, Florida for Gunnery School training. Following graduation from Gunnery School Bill was sent to Tampa where he was assigned to the 386th Bomb Group, which was being formed to fly the B26 Marauder. Bill accidently ran into his old friend Pete LaFramboise in Tampa., and it turns out that Pete had left the RAF and was now a B-26 Marauder pilot with the 386th. Pete suggested that Norris transfer to Pete's squadron, and join his crew. With the completion of their training the 386th deployed to England. Bill and Pete flew 54 combat missions together, including the one depicted in Stan Stokes painting entitled Mauled by a Marauder, during which Bill Norris downed three German fighters and a probable fourth. Norris flew a total of 57 missions, and downed another German Bf-109 on another mission. Bill Norris left the Army following the War. He became a roofing contractor in Southern California, locating there because it was the home of his first wife who he had married shortly before shipping out for combat. Bill also worked part time as a Hollywood stunt man. He doubled for Donald O'connor in a number of movies, and also performed some of the stunts for Burt Lancaster in the classic movie Trapeze. Norris had known Lancaster from their time working in the circus prior to the War. Bill has a son by his first wife and a daughter by his second. He is an avid restorer of mid-50 Chevy classics, and currently enjoys the good life in Southern California. Bill has four grandchildren. His military awards and decorations include the Silver Star, the DFC with oak cluster, the Air Medal with ten oak leaf clusters, the Purple Heart with oak leaf cluster, and the British Distinguished Flying Medal. With his four confirmed aerial victories Bill has the unique distinction of nearly becoming an ace, quite an unusual fete for a tail gunner. |
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Clipped Signature - William Norris. Called up to the military after the attack on Pearl Harbor, he became a gunner on B-26 Marauders with the 386th Bomb Group in England. He flew 57 missions, and scored 4 confirmed victories and a probable fourth - all except one of which came during a single mission. Post war he was a roofing contractor, but also worked in Hollywood as a stuntman. Please note that this particular signature has been written in pen - not in pencil like most of our signatures. |
Mauled by a Marauder by Stan Stokes. The B-26 Marauder, dubbed the widow maker by its detractors, was developed by the Glen L. Martin Company beginning in 1939. The first B-26 was completed in November of 1940. The early models had very high wing loading, and were tricky to fly. Added armament increased weight even further leading to an alarming rate of accidents during training. Increasing engine power, wingspan and rudder height solved many of the problems. The B-26 was capable of speeds in excess of 320-MPH, and with a normal crew compliment of six and a bomb load of 4,000 pounds the aircraft, had a range in excess of 1100 miles. Despite the controversy surrounding the B-26, the aircraft served admirably during WW II, and in fact had the lowest loss ratio of any American aircraft. The 386th Bomb Group was organized on December 1, 1942 under the command of Lt. Col. Lester J. Maitland. The 386th, known as The Crusaders, trained at MacDill Field near Tampa Florida. The accident rate during training of earlier B-26 units was alarmingly high, leading to the phrase one a day in Tampa Bay. With improved training methods for both flight and maintenance crews, and with improvements to the B-26s engines and electrical systems, the accident rate began to decline, and the 386th attained 10,000 flight hours of training without an accident. The Crusaders went to Lake Charles, Louisiana for the second phase of their training. On April 20, 1943 the Crusaders completed their training and crews were dispatched to either Selfridge Field in Michigan or the Martin plant in Omaha to pick-up their B-26Bs and Cs for the long flight to England. The 386th had an incredible combat record, flying 409 combat missions against Axis targets such as bridges, railroad yards, and other tactical targets. Most bombing missions were done at an altitude of 10,000-13,000 feet. On 11/29/43 the Crusaders flew a mission which was very memorable for the crew of Sexation. As depicted in Stan Stokes painting, appropriately entitled Mauled by Marauders, the Sexation was attacked by several German Fw-190 and Bf-109 fighters. With the loss of one engine, significant wing damage, and hydraulic system failure, Sexation was a sitting duck. However, Bill Norris, the tail gunner on the B-26, kept the fighters at bay, shooting down 3 enemy fighters and one probable on the mission. This made Norris the top gun of the 386th. The crew was able to nurse the aircraft back to England where they made a belly landing. Both Norris and the aircrafts commander, Pete LaFramboise, received the Silver Star for this mission. This print is dedicated to the memory of Col. Maitland and the 191 Crusaders who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country during WW II. |
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