lest we forget

LITTLE, NORMAN EARL “TED”

Rank / Branch:

CORPORAL, U.S. MARINE CORP

Date Of Birth:

1948-02-03

Country Of Loss:

SOUTH VIETNAM

Status:

HOSTILE-SMALL ARMS FIRE

Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground:

CH-53D

Other:

NOT MARRIED

Unit:

THIRD MARINE AIR WING

Date Of Loss:

1970-03-27

Loss Coordinates:

QUANG NAM

Catagory:

BODY RETURNED

Awards & Decorations:

SEE BIO

VETERAN HAGI0GRAPHY

LITTLE, NORMAN EARL, CORPORAL, U.S. MARINE CORP, SAN ANGELO, TOM GREEN COUNTY, TEXAS

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

COMBAT AIR CREW BADGE W/3 GOLD STARS ,PURPLE HEART. AIR MEDAL WITH 14 GOLD STARS, NAVY & MARINE CORPS ACHIEVEMENT MEDAL WITH VALOR, MARINE CORPS GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL WITH 2 BRONZE SERVICE STARS, REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM GALLANTRY CROSS UNIT CITATION, REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM CIVIL ACTIONS UNIT CITATION, VIETNAM CAMPAIGN MEDAL, MARINE CORP COMBAT ACTION RIBBON

BIOGRAPHY

Norman was born in San Angelo, Texas, the son of Ruby Belle Garrett and Norman Leslie Little. He was the fourth of six children. He had two older brothers and an older sister, and two younger brothers. The family moved to Odessa in 1950 where Norman's father was employed with the Ector County Independent School District in the custodial department. He attended Odessa schools, Austin Elementary, Crockett Junior High School and Odessa High. He graduated from Odessa High School in 1966 and moved to San Angelo to work and to attend San Angelo State University.
After working and attending college for a year, Norman entered the Marine Corp in late 1967 from San Angelo. He completed his recruit training at the Marine Corp Recruit Training Depot in San Diego, California. He then completed ITR at Camp Pendleton, California. He received additional training at the NAS-Memphis, on Power Plants, (engines). He received additional training as a flight crewman for helicopters. He was known as Ted to his Marine Corp buddies.
He began his tour in Vietnam on August 2, 1969. He was assigned as a crew chief on a CH-53D, with HMH-463, 3rd Marine Air Wing. The aircraft, the CH-53D was a cargo helicopter which hauled supplies and troops. The aircraft would often land in hot landing zones. On March 27, 1970, he was the crew chief on a CH-53D which had landed in a hot LZ. He was shot to death by a sniper, as troops were disembarking.
Those who knew Norman described him as having a zest for life, he was an optimist and saw the good in everything. He felt that his service in the Marine Corp to be his duty and he gave it everything he had. He had a sense of humor and saw humor even when there was little or no humor to be found.
His funeral was held in Odessa on April 6, 1970, and he was buried with full military honors in the Belvedere Cemetery in San Angelo, Texas.
He was survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Norman L. Little of Odessa, his brothers, Richard, of Orlando, Florida; Michael D. who was serving in the U.S. Air Force, and Mark and Nolan of Odessa. He was also survived by his sister, Martha Fitzgerald of Dallas.
His sister, Martha died 18 months after Norman's death of glioblastoma, which is an aggressive brain tumor. She was 28 and rests next to Norman. His father passed away in 1981 and his mother in 1996 and are buried in the same plot.