DANBURY SCHOOL’S NEWEST BUILDING HAS OLDEST HISTORY - Lorrie Halblaub

Part 4

The United States entered World War I in April 1917, a short time before Fred graduated. He joined a special branch of the Army Reserve Corps, the 27th Aero Squadron, because he wanted to be a pilot.  He trained in Texas and Canada. Recognizing his leadership skills, he was chosen to be an Aviation Cadet Instructor. When the training concluded, Private First Class Norton received an honorable discharge from the Reserves and the next day enlisted as a commissioned First Lieutenant with his same squadron. Before leaving for Europe, Fred bought a leather jacket at Abercrombie and Fitch in Manhattan, NY to wear in the open cockpit of the British fighter plane that he would fly. He travelled to England, then Le Harve, France.  There he became part of the 1st Eagle Pursuit Air Squadron, made up of 7 squadrons who were flying combat patrols and doing reconnaissance. He was stationed at Touquin Aerodome.

This was the time in our aviation history of the “dogfight,” and Fred was a master. In one sortie Fred led eight American planes into German territory and battled nine enemy planes.  Both of Fred’s guns jammed, leaving him helpless, but he refused to leave his men as he flew interference and out-maneuvered the Germans, while his comrades destroyed two enemy planes. 

On July 20, 1918, Fred and four other pilots were on a voluntary training flight when the wind blew them behind enemy lines.  Fred fought valiantly but took two bullets, one in his back and the other under his right arm. Only two of his trainees made it back to base.  Fred managed to land in friendly territory in France, but the heavy fighting delayed him getting to a hospital.  Fred developed pneumonia and died on July 23, 1918. He was 25 years old.  Before his death, thinking of his fellow squadron pilots, he wrote a note to them, “Twenty-seventh----more power to you.” And that remained the squadron’s motto. 

Fred’s body never made it home.  He is buried in the Oise-Aisne American Cemetery in northern France with 6,012 other Americans.  On August 25, 1918, a funeral Mass was held in Marblehead’s St. Joseph Catholic Church.  The first of many masses that have been held to honor his memory.

Fred was gone, but not forgotten.  He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. France awarded him the Croix de Guerre with Palm, for distinguished acts of heroism.

He was the first Ohio State graduate to die in World War I.  His name is on a plaque on campus listing those Buckeyes who died in that war. The city of Columbus in 1923 dedicated their first major airport “Norton Field.”  In 1962, the University built a north campus dormitory and named it “Norton House.” He was inducted into the Ohio Military Hall of Fame for Valor.  His blood-stained flight jacket is on display at the US Air Force Museum near Dayton.

Back home, Danbury’s first basketball court was named after Fred. Any senior can earn the “Norton Award” by accumulating 600 activity points in high school with no more than 400 from athletics and music.  Today there is a whole building dedicated to keeping the memory of the amazing Fred Norton alive. One wonders, had he lived, what this talented young man could have become.