Oral history of Charles Norton
Clemson University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives A video recording of an in-person interview conducted by Austin Mall with Lieutenant Colonel Charles Norton on April 1, 2014. Born on December 30, 1922, Norton served in the United States Air Force across three major conflicts: World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, he knew he had to serve in the military and was determined to fly.
Norton recounts the grueling experience of flight training, where instructors pushed cadets to their limits, and his training in jump school at Fort Benning, Georgia and Lawson Army Airfield. He describes the immense relief of finally earning his wings and the heartbreak of seeing others wash out. During and after World War II, he was stationed in Europe, where he helped establish early airline operations. His service continued into the Korean War, and later in Vietnam, where he commanded the 51st Bombardment Squadron, a B-52 squadron, leading bombing missions from bases in Guam.
2014-04-01