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Erickson, Norman
| Last Name: | Erickson |
|---|---|
| First Name: | Norman |
| Dates: |
11.8.1917 (Date of Birth)
8.7.1999 (Date of Death)
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| Biography/History: | Norman Webster Erickson was born 11 August 1917 in Oakes, North Dakota to Albert Emil (1883-1947) and Emma Josephine Christenson Erickson (1883-1945). By 1920, the family had settled on a farm in Beaver, Minnesota. Norman was the middle child of five. In 1935, Norman entered the North Dakota National Guard and completed naval training in 1937. He also attended Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota (1935-37) and the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis (1937-39). In 1940, he was living in Long Beach, California and working for the Vultee Aircraft Company, headquartered in Downey, California. During World War II, Vultee merged with Consolidated Aircraft Company to become Convair. Norman learned to fly and in 1942 was certified as an aviator with the United States Navy. In 1943, he crashed in the Aleutian Islands and was missing for a harrowing 12 days. He suffered severe frost bite to his feet, resulting in the amputation of the toes on both feet. Because of his disability, the Navy retired Norman at the rank of lieutenant in 1945. By 1948, Norman had moved to Spokane, Washington. In September of that year, a friend introduced him to Marjorie Ellen Henning, a Spokane native. Following a short engagement, the couple were married on 1 January 1949. Norman worked as a bookkeeper and as an insurance agent and the Erickson family grew to include four children. Norman Erickson died on 8 July 1999 in Spokane. |
| Related Objects: |
4424.1 (Helmet, Aviator's, Norman Erickson's WWII Aviators Helmet, 1939 - 1945)
4424.2 (Goggles, Aviator's, Norman Erickson's WWII Aviator's Goggles, 1939 - 1945)
4424.3 (Cap, Military, Norman Erickson's WWII Cap, 1939 - 1945)
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