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Born: January 14, 1944
Jacksonville, Florida
War: Vietnam
Rank: Lieutenant, U.S. Navy,
SEAL Advisor, Strategic Technical Directorate Assistance Team,
Headquarters, U.S. Military Assistance Command
Location of action: Quang Tri Province, Republic of
Vietnam
Date of action: April 10-13, 1972
Medal received from: President Gerald Ford, March 6, 1976
Official Citation:
Lieutenant Norris completed an unprecedented ground rescue of
two downed pilots deep within heavily controlled enemy territory
in Quang Tri Province. Lieutenant Norris, on the night of April 10,
led a 5-man patrol through 2,000 meters of heavily controlled
enemy territory, located one of the downed pilots at daybreak,
and returned to the Forward Operating Base (FOB). On April 11,
after a devastating mortar and rocket attack on the small FOB,
Lieutenant Norris led a 3-man team on two unsuccessful rescue attempts
for the second pilot. On the afternoon of the April 12, a forward
air controller located the pilot and notified Lieutenant Norris.
Dressed
in fishermen disguises and using a sampan, Lieutenant Norris and one
Vietnamese traveled throughout that night and found the injured
pilot at dawn. Covering the pilot with bamboo and vegetation,
they began the return journey, successfully evading a North
Vietnamese patrol. Approaching the FOB, they came under heavy
machinegun fire. Lieutenant Norris called in an air strike, which provided
suppression fire and a smoke screen, allowing the rescue party
to reach the FOB. By his outstanding display of decisive leadership,
undaunted courage, and selfless dedication in the face of extreme
danger, Lieutenant Norris enhanced the finest traditions of the U.S.
Naval Service.
Bio:
Tom Norris received degree in Sociology with a specialist in
criminology from the University of Maryland. He originally enlisted
in the Navy because he wanted to fly, however because of problems
with visual acuity and depth perception could not perform the
flight maneuvers and instead became a Navy SEAL.
Norris was retired from the Navy as a result of head injuries
he incurred in Vietnam. He spent three years in the hospital
and underwent many major surgeries. In 1979 he decided to join
the FBI and requested a waiver for his disabilities from the
FBI director William Webster. Webster wrote “If you can
pass the same test as anybody else applying for this organization,
I will waiver your disabilities.” In September of 1979
Norris passed the tests and became an FBI agent. He served as
an FBI agent for 20 years.
Of Note:
In October 1972 Norris received a near-fatal head wound in action and was rescued by his fellow Navy SEAL, Michael Thornton. Thornton received the Medal of Honor for his actions. Thornton was the first person in more than a century to receive that honor for saving the life of another Medal of Honor recipient. Norris and Thornton enjoyed the unique satisfaction of witnessing each other's Medal of Honor ceremonies at the White House.
The actions for which Norris received his Medal of Honor have been recounted in numerous books and a feature film, BAT-21, the Air Force code name for the original reconnaissance mission.
There is a Lt. Thomas R. Norris building – Naval Special
Warfare Group Two in Little Creek, Virginia.
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Thomas
Norris