Benjamin White Norris
Major Benjamin W. Norris was a Marine pilot and acting commander of VMSB-241.
He was reported missing in the battle of Midway on 4 June 1942.
Branch
Marine Corps Regular
Service Number O-4382
Current Status
Remains not recovered.
Pursuit Category
Based on circumstances of loss, this individual is considered permanently non-recoverable.
Capsule History
Pre-War Life
Birth
May 15, 1907
at Lima, Peru
Parents
Alexander Joseph Norris (d. 1918)
Fredericka (Henshaw) Norris (d. 1921)
Education
Phillips Exeter Academy (1924)
Princeton University (1928)
Occupation & Employer
L. M. Clark, Inc.
Service Life
Entered Service
July 11, 1928 (enlisted)
February 24, 1941 (officer)
Home Of Record
Princeton, NJ
Next Of Kin
Wife, Mrs. Ruth King Norris
Military Specialty
Pilot
Squadron Commander
Primary Unit
VMSB-241
Campaigns Served
Midway
Individual Decorations
Navy Cross
Purple Heart
Additional Service Details
Norris served with the Marine Corps Reserve as an enlisted man (July 11, 1928 – January 24, 1929) and officer (January 25, 1929 – February 24, 1941)
Loss And Burial
Circumstances Of Loss
Major Benjamin W. Norris, an experienced aviator with over a decade of service in the Marine Corps Reserves, received his first overseas deployment to the island of Midway on 26 May 1942. Upon arrival, he was appointed squadron executive officer under Major Lofton R. Henderson, and helped with the plans and preparations for the “overdue” Japanese attack.
Norris’ main responsibility was leading a group of junior second lieutenants – “the greenest group ever assembled for combat,” as one later recalled. These young pilots arrived with Norris and were formed into a separate group equipped with outdated Vought SB2U Vindicator bombers – which they had never flown before. The “Vibrators” had little fuel with which to practice, and each pilot made two or three flights with dummy bombs. Norris worked to inspire his pilots confidence in their planes, unit, and themselves.
Ready or not, the pilots were ordered to standby in their cockpits early on the morning of 4 June 1942. Conflicting orders and confusion rattled the nerves somewhat, but by 0600 the bombers were taking off to strike at an approaching Japanese fleet. Norris and his radioman, PFC Arthur B. Whittington, led the Vindicators into the air, and the young pilots formed up on SB2U-3 #2072.
Vindicators of VMSB-241 taking off for combat on 4 June 1942. Film footage from John Ford's "The Battle of Midway."
Norris rendezvoused his formation at Point Affirm and led them towards the reported carrier position, climbing as he went. The Vindicators trailed behind the Dauntlesses, and Japanese fighters were already in the air when they arrived over the fleet. As the fast “Zekes” raced through the Americans, Norris opted to attack the nearest target: the battleship Haruna, directly below. Despite their slow speed and shallow dive angle, not one of the Vindicators fell over the enemy fleet. The formation scattered and the pilots were left to find their own route back to Midway.
Only two Vindicators failed to return – Squadron #3 (with Campion and Maday) and #6 (with Marmande and Colvin) – but all planes suffered damage, and several Marines came back wounded. Losses in Major Henderson’s SBD Dauntless unit were much more severe; Henderson himself was among those lost. Norris was placed in command of VMSB-241, and instructed to prepare for a second strike. That night, Norris led a group of twelve bombers out in search of a Japanese carrier, reported to be burning and out of control, approximately 200 miles from Midway.
The Marines reached the reported location and found nothing but empty ocean. Heavy squalls and thick cloud cover added additional challenges for tired men flying in the dark over open water, but except for one pilot who strayed from the group, the bombers managed to stay together. When they were just 40 miles from safety, though, the lights of Major Norris’ plane were seen to go into a steep right turn and descend from 10,000 feet. The other Vindicators followed through the cloudy dark, but pulled out at just 500 feet above the sea. Norris’ plane never pulled out; the lights disappeared.
Back at Midway, the grounded pilots and crews anxiously awaited the night strike.
One by one, at irregular intervals, they came back – some of them. Again we watched and listened to the sky. Again the nervous glancing at timepieces – each second that ticked away trained off a pint of gasoline and with it drained the chances of return for those still missing. Two planes were overdue: Major Norris and Sumner Whitten. A long half-hour later, we were told to give them up.
Rollow and I walked down the long runway extinguishing the flare pots. The field became dark again. Then, just as we were leaving, a lonesome hum became audible to me. Was it more imagination? I turned to Rollow. "Do you hear it?"
He nodded, first slowly, and then as the sound grew louder he shook his head vigorously and grabbed my arm. "Come on," he cried.
We raced down the runway touching flame to the dampened wicks on the flare pots, and as we ran the path behind us became like a marching roadway of light. The incoming plane circled once as we stood by.... Then he came down bouncing along the landing strip. We ran forward to greet whoever it was that had returned. It was Whitten.
The return of one of the planes presumed lost refired our hope that perhaps Major Norris would also come back. We kept the fires burning a long time for him – they are still burning for him in our hearts.
Burial Information or Disposition
Lost at sea.
Next Of Kin Address
Wartime address of wife, Mrs. Ruth King Norris.
Location Of Loss
Norris was last seen going down at sea while on a course for Midway.
