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SSGT Hilliard Norris
Monument

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SSGT Hilliard Norris

Birth
North Carolina, USA
Death
13 May 1945 (aged 23)
Papua New Guinea
Monument
Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines Add to Map
Plot
Walls Of The Missing ~ with a "Rosette"
Memorial ID
View Source
Hilliard's remains were recovered in 1959 and he was interred in the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Lemay, Missouri.

" Click Here " for that record.

A "Rosette" was placed in front of his name here at Manila to signify that his remains were recovered.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Son of Mrs. Irene Norris who resided in Waynesville, North Carolina.

Hilliard served as a Staff Sergeant & Engineer on C-47A #41-23952, Headquarters Squadron, Far East Air Service Command, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

He resided in Haywood County, North Carolina prior to the war.

He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on January 6, 1942 in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Launder and also as Single, without dependents.

C-47A #41-23952 was normally assigned to the 39th Troop Carrier Squadron, 317th Troop Carrier Group, U.S. Army Air Force but was used on this flight.

C-47A #41-23952 took off with a crew of 5 and 19 passengers from Sentani Air Field (APO #323), Papua New Guinea on what was noted by the military as a "Navigational Training Flight" but was later noted as basically as a "sightseeing" flight over the Hidden Valley, Papua New Guinea. They crashed for an unknown reason into the side of a mountain during the war.

The entire crew of 5, along with 14 passengers, were killed at the time of the crash. There were 5 who survived the initial crash to include: 1st Lt. John S. McCollom ( twin brother of Robert below ), T/Sgt. Kenneth W. Decker, Cpl. Margaret J. Hastings, Pfc. Eleanor P. Hanna, and S/Sgt. Laura E. Besley.

The next day Pfc. Eleanor P. Hanna and S/Sgt. Laura E. Besley died of their wounds. The remaining three were finally rescued 47 days later.

Hilliard was first declared "Missing In Action" in this crash. His status was changed to "Killed In Action" after his remains were recovered.

He was awarded the Purple Heart.

Service # 14072653

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Crew who perished on C-47A #41-23952:

Mollberg, Melvin A ~ Pfc, Asst. Engineer, MN
Newcomer, George R ~ Pfc, Radio Operator, SC
Nicholson, George H ~ Maj, Co-Pilot, MA
Norris, Hilliard ~ S/Sgt, Engineer, NC
Prossen, Peter J ~ Col, Pilot, TX

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Passengers who perished on C-47A #41-23952:

Antonini, Herman F ~ Maj, IL
Besley, Laura E ~ S/Sgt, PA
Dattilo, Phillip J ~ Maj, KY
Fair, Alethia M ~ Pfc, CA
Freyman, Louis E ~ Capt, IN
Gillis, Marian C ~ Pfc, CA
Good, Herbert F ~ Capt, OH
Hanna, Eleanor P ~ Pfc, PA
Holding, Lawrence F ~ 1st Lt, NC
Kent, Helen G ~ Sgt, CA
Landau, Mary M ~ Pfc, NY
McCollom, Robert E ~ 1st Lt, MO
McMonagle, Marion W ~ Tech/3, PA
Miller, Charles R ~ Corp, MI
Naimer, Belle G ~ Sgt, MA
Weber, Melvyn A ~ Corp, CA

( Bio & Crew Report by: Russ Pickett )

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hilliard's remains were recovered in 1959 and he was interred in the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Lemay, Missouri.

" Click Here " for that record.

A "Rosette" was placed in front of his name here at Manila to signify that his remains were recovered.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Son of Mrs. Irene Norris who resided in Waynesville, North Carolina.

Hilliard served as a Staff Sergeant & Engineer on C-47A #41-23952, Headquarters Squadron, Far East Air Service Command, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

He resided in Haywood County, North Carolina prior to the war.

He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on January 6, 1942 in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Launder and also as Single, without dependents.

C-47A #41-23952 was normally assigned to the 39th Troop Carrier Squadron, 317th Troop Carrier Group, U.S. Army Air Force but was used on this flight.

C-47A #41-23952 took off with a crew of 5 and 19 passengers from Sentani Air Field (APO #323), Papua New Guinea on what was noted by the military as a "Navigational Training Flight" but was later noted as basically as a "sightseeing" flight over the Hidden Valley, Papua New Guinea. They crashed for an unknown reason into the side of a mountain during the war.

The entire crew of 5, along with 14 passengers, were killed at the time of the crash. There were 5 who survived the initial crash to include: 1st Lt. John S. McCollom ( twin brother of Robert below ), T/Sgt. Kenneth W. Decker, Cpl. Margaret J. Hastings, Pfc. Eleanor P. Hanna, and S/Sgt. Laura E. Besley.

The next day Pfc. Eleanor P. Hanna and S/Sgt. Laura E. Besley died of their wounds. The remaining three were finally rescued 47 days later.

Hilliard was first declared "Missing In Action" in this crash. His status was changed to "Killed In Action" after his remains were recovered.

He was awarded the Purple Heart.

Service # 14072653

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Crew who perished on C-47A #41-23952:

Mollberg, Melvin A ~ Pfc, Asst. Engineer, MN
Newcomer, George R ~ Pfc, Radio Operator, SC
Nicholson, George H ~ Maj, Co-Pilot, MA
Norris, Hilliard ~ S/Sgt, Engineer, NC
Prossen, Peter J ~ Col, Pilot, TX

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Passengers who perished on C-47A #41-23952:

Antonini, Herman F ~ Maj, IL
Besley, Laura E ~ S/Sgt, PA
Dattilo, Phillip J ~ Maj, KY
Fair, Alethia M ~ Pfc, CA
Freyman, Louis E ~ Capt, IN
Gillis, Marian C ~ Pfc, CA
Good, Herbert F ~ Capt, OH
Hanna, Eleanor P ~ Pfc, PA
Holding, Lawrence F ~ 1st Lt, NC
Kent, Helen G ~ Sgt, CA
Landau, Mary M ~ Pfc, NY
McCollom, Robert E ~ 1st Lt, MO
McMonagle, Marion W ~ Tech/3, PA
Miller, Charles R ~ Corp, MI
Naimer, Belle G ~ Sgt, MA
Weber, Melvyn A ~ Corp, CA

( Bio & Crew Report by: Russ Pickett )

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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  • Maintained by: Johnny History
  • Originally Created by: Russ Pickett
  • Added: Dec 11, 2017
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/185853729/hilliard-norris: accessed ), memorial page for SSGT Hilliard Norris (28 Aug 1921–13 May 1945), Find a Grave Memorial ID 185853729, citing Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines; Maintained by Johnny History (contributor 49654896).