Another of our Greatest Generation

Ron Smith · 01-31-2007, 07:56 PM

My Father-in-Law, LT.Col. Norbourn Eugene Whittington USAFR Ret. passed on today at 12:03 PST.

He was a man of Great Integrity and Personal Pride. He was activated in 1941 as a Sargeant in the Rainbow Division of the Oregon National Guard. He entered the Sargeant Pilot program and was assigned to a C-47 Squadron in Morocco in 1943. Flew Paratroopers over Italy. Towed Gliders over Holland, Belgium and on D-Day. Flew in every major European campaign during WWII. And landed a B-24 Liberator in Germany less than a week after the surrender.

He was there from the beginning to the end. Commissioned to the rank of Captain in the U.S. Army Air Corps 1944. Retired Lt.Col. U.S.A.F.R. in 1959.

He will be deeply missed...

Ron

Captain N E "Gene" Whittington 316th Trooper Carrier Group

policeluger · 01-31-2007, 08:19 PM

May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow....

c3006 · 01-31-2007, 08:21 PM

May your memories of him remain vivid. You and yours will be in our prayers. clint

waltherguy · 01-31-2007, 09:08 PM

Sounds like an Amazing man! Very sorry for your loss..

Navy · 01-31-2007, 10:11 PM

Ron,

My friend, as these noble warriors of years gone by pass, our challenge is to keep their spirit ALIVE and pass it on to our grandchildren...our children already have it.

God bless and give peace to this fine American warrior.

Tom A

wlyon · 01-31-2007, 11:35 PM

Ron. . Very sorry for your loss. I hope and pray our country will never forget what that generation did for us. My sympathy to you and your family. Bill

Brent B. · 02-01-2007, 06:09 AM

Ron:

Very sorry to hear of your Father-in-Laws passing. You and your family will be in my prayers.

Brent

Ron Smith · 02-01-2007, 09:08 AM

He once told me that ,"We got shot at, over, under and through, but never down."

He was very proud of the fact that he never lost a crew member a paratrooper or plane. Although they had to crash land twice and ditch once. They always made it home.

Thanks for your thoughts...

Ron

Curly1 · 02-01-2007, 09:14 PM

My condolences to you and your family Ron.

Steve71 · 02-01-2007, 09:31 PM

Ron,

I sincerely believe that war veteran's have a special place in Heaven. I want to believe he was greeted at the gates to Heaven by fellow pilots who passed before him.

Sorry for your loss,

Steve

PS. Tom, I'll remember your quote in your posting. Very wise words.

Steinar · 02-02-2007, 07:12 AM

My condolences for the loss.

May he be remembered for the hero he was.

Ron Smith · 11-07-2007, 12:18 PM

This is an old thread on the passing of my Father in Law in Jan 07. We recently ran across this photo. I just wanted to add it to the thread.

Ron

01-31-2007, 07:56 PM	#1
Ron Smith User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Orygun Posts: 4,243 Thanks: 118 Thanked 245 Times in 150 Posts	Another of our Greatest Generation, photo added My Father-in-Law, LT.Col. Norbourn Eugene Whittington USAFR Ret. passed on today at 12:03 PST. He was a man of Great Integrity and Personal Pride. He was activated in 1941 as a Sargeant in the Rainbow Division of the Oregon National Guard. He entered the Sargeant Pilot program and was assigned to a C-47 Squadron in Morocco in 1943. Flew Paratroopers over Italy. Towed Gliders over Holland, Belgium and on D-Day. Flew in every major European campaign during WWII. And landed a B-24 Liberator in Germany less than a week after the surrender. He was there from the beginning to the end. Commissioned to the rank of Captain in the U.S. Army Air Corps 1944. Retired Lt.Col. U.S.A.F.R. in 1959. He will be deeply missed... Ron Captain N E "Gene" Whittington 316th Trooper Carrier Group __________________ I Still Need DWM side plate #49... if anyone runs across a nice one. What ~Rudyard Kipling~ said...

01-31-2007, 08:21 PM	#3
c3006 User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: east tn Posts: 526 Thanks: 5 Thanked 12 Times in 5 Posts	May your memories of him remain vivid. You and yours will be in our prayers. clint __________________ Men Accustomed unto thier arms and their liberties will never endure the yoke. James Harrington 1776

01-31-2007, 09:08 PM	#4
waltherguy User Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: FL Posts: 201 Thanks: 5 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Sounds like an Amazing man! Very sorry for your loss.. __________________ "In a man to man fight the winner is the one who puts an extra round in his magazine" -Field Marshal Erwin Rommel

01-31-2007, 11:35 PM	#6
wlyon Lifer 2X Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: May 2005 Location: Somewhere in Montana Posts: 2,636 Thanks: 3,174 Thanked 2,559 Times in 955 Posts	Ron. . Very sorry for your loss. I hope and pray our country will never forget what that generation did for us. My sympathy to you and your family. Bill __________________ Bill Lyon

02-01-2007, 09:08 AM	#8
Ron Smith User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Orygun Posts: 4,243 Thanks: 118 Thanked 245 Times in 150 Posts	He once told me that ,"We got shot at, over, under and through, but never down." He was very proud of the fact that he never lost a crew member a paratrooper or plane. Although they had to crash land twice and ditch once. They always made it home. Thanks for your thoughts... Ron __________________ I Still Need DWM side plate #49... if anyone runs across a nice one. What ~Rudyard Kipling~ said...

01-31-2007, 08:19 PM	#2
policeluger RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Ca. Posts: 2,141 Thanks: 8 Thanked 89 Times in 54 Posts	May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow....

01-31-2007, 10:11 PM	#5
Navy RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Dc 'burbs in Virginia Posts: 2,482 Thanks: 0 Thanked 16 Times in 10 Posts	Ron, My friend, as these noble warriors of years gone by pass, our challenge is to keep their spirit ALIVE and pass it on to our grandchildren...our children already have it. God bless and give peace to this fine American warrior. Tom A

02-01-2007, 06:09 AM	#7
Brent B. User Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 176 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Ron: Very sorry to hear of your Father-in-Laws passing. You and your family will be in my prayers. Brent

02-01-2007, 09:14 PM	#9
Curly1 User Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Upstate New York Posts: 1,242 Thanks: 117 Thanked 714 Times in 371 Posts	My condolences to you and your family Ron. __________________ Laugh hard and often. Gary

02-01-2007, 09:31 PM	#10
Steve71 User Join Date: May 2005 Location: Sumner, Wa. Posts: 130 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Ron, I sincerely believe that war veteran's have a special place in Heaven. I want to believe he was greeted at the gates to Heaven by fellow pilots who passed before him. Sorry for your loss, Steve PS. Tom, I'll remember your quote in your posting. Very wise words. __________________ "Hey soldier, don't forget to pick up the Lugers. Someday, they'll be worth a lot of money".

02-02-2007, 07:12 AM	#11
Steinar User Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 1,538 Thanks: 18 Thanked 36 Times in 21 Posts	My condolences for the loss. May he be remembered for the hero he was. __________________ Previously known as Morgan Kane

11-07-2007, 12:18 PM	#12
Ron Smith User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Orygun Posts: 4,243 Thanks: 118 Thanked 245 Times in 150 Posts	This is an old thread on the passing of my Father in Law in Jan 07. We recently ran across this photo. I just wanted to add it to the thread. Ron __________________ I Still Need DWM side plate #49... if anyone runs across a nice one. What ~Rudyard Kipling~ said...