Person:Thomas Norman (15)

From Ray Norman: Maj. Thomas Gordon Norman married #1: Gertrude Maxwell US Army, Transportation Corps Dob July 8, 1903 Pob Milwaukee, WI Pod Walter Reed Hosp. Washington, DC Dod Dec 10, 1976 (age73) Gravesite: Forest Hills Cemetery, Birmingham AL Tom Norman had about one year of High School when he had to join the work force we think due to economic reasons. After starting as a Birmingham, AL public works employee running a street repair equipment. I remember my Uncle Tom behind a large grader that smoothed out the dirt road. Second Ave. North and 67th Place in Birmingham was one of the roads that Tom Norman worked on with the grader. What a thrill for an unsupervised child to flag down his uncle's road grader and be able to sit in the seat as he drove and smoothed out the road. This must have been about 1939. Tom Norman was activated by the Army about 1940. He saw service in Italy, Japan, and Korea and in the US. Uncle Tom could have been an ambassador if the connections has been available. He hosted many a senior officer later in his active duty career. At the time that Hyde Park, NY or a site near Boston appeared to have the best chance of becoming the permanent home of the United Nations, Capt. Tom Norman was busy repairing the "General Pershing" in Georgia. (The United States, was selected by United Nations site committee looked during the latter half of 1946. Several cities were considered: Philadelphia, New York, Boston and San Francisco. While consideration had been given in the first place to areas north of New York City, crowded Manhattan had not been seriously studied. But a last-minute offer of $8.5 million for the purchase of the present site, by John D. Rockefeller, Jr., was accepted … on 14 December 1946. New York City completed the site parcel by additional gifts of property. Source: UN Website/History) The Pershing was a diesel Army locomotive, which pulled Gen. John J. Pershing over France in WWI. In WWII the Pershing was used at Camp Blanding FL for troop transport to railway terminals. Capt Norman was the Officer in Charge of the Railroad Repair Shops at Ft. Benning, GA responsible for maintaining 214 gas, diesel and steam locomotives. He had a small staff of eight mechanics an " …needed about fifty.. One man working in the shop who would have retired years ago except or the critical labor shortage was 83 year old Joseph H. Bouchard, a railroad veteran." (Birmingham News Age Herald, p.4a, date ??).

One tour of Capt. Norman took him and his family from Birmingham, AL to Italy for several years. Sarah, Johnny and Shirley left for Leghorn, Italy on Saturday, Aug. 20, 1954.

Thomas Gordon Norman, Jr. married Gertrude Maxwell DOB Jan 28, 1926 dob Pob Birmingham, AL pob Issue: Thomas, Jr. moved to CA, owned a bar, lost track. Married: #2 Jimmie Ruth Henderson Children: Tommy & Donald. Adopted by Jimmie Ruth's brother Frank Henderson and wife Effie.

Thomas G. Norman married #3 Sarah Bell Lonnergan Dob sept 20, 1913 Pob Lincoln, AL Dod Feb. 24, 1999 (age 86) Gravesite: Forest Hills, B'ham, AL

RIN: MH:I175