Honoring a hero — 70 years later
Late Norman Kottke awarded POW, other medals
By Lori Copler, Editor
Seventy-one years after his plane was shot down over Germany in World War II and he was taken captive, Stewart native Norman Kottke was awarded his Prisoner of War medal.
It was presented to his widow, Adline Kottke, Monday afternoon following the Stewart Memorial Day service by representatives of the Armed Forces and U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota.
Norman Kottke was a bombardier in the 398th Bomb Group, and was supposed to be on his last mission in late November 1944 — his 33rd in 13 months — when his plane was shot out of the sky while on a mission to take out an oil refinery. Kottke put his emergency training into use, ejecting from his seat in the B-27 at 7,000 feet.
Even then, according to an article that was published many years ago in the Buffalo Lake News and cited by Klobuchar at Monday’s ceremony, Kottke’s sense of adventure took over.
Rather than pull his ripcord, he decided to experiment with freefalling, extending his arms to guide a change in direction as he plummeted from the sky.
But, eventually, he came to earth, was captured by the Germans, and held in a prisoner of war camp for six months.
He returned home from the war, settled on his farm and was an involved member of the Stewart community.
“He was one of those heroes who showed sheer fortitude and never gave up,” Klobuchar said of Kottke.
She noted that Kottke’s war experiences didn’t deter him from enjoying flying after the war, as he was a member of the Flying Farmers. “Not even being shot out of the sky or being a POW could keep Norman on the ground,” said Klobuchar.
The Kottke family had tried a couple of times to get Norman Kottke his POW medal after his death. One of his daughters persuaded Klobuchar’s office to intervene.
Klobuchar said that not only did her office determine that Kottke deserved his POW medal, but that there were several other medals he should have been awarded. “There should be a medal for every child you have,” Klobuchar joked to Adline Kottke.
*****
Norman and Adline Kottke’s son, Burton, also spoke briefly, thanking everyone for their efforts on the behalf of the family. If his dad, Norman, had been there, Burton said, “he would have reminded us that this was not, is not, about him, but about everyone who didn’t come home.”
The McLeod County Chronicle
Glencoe, Minnesota Vol. 118, No. 21
May 27, 2015
Late Norman Kottke awarded POW, other medals
By Lori Copler, Editor
Seventy-one years after his plane was shot down over Germany in World War II and he was taken captive, Stewart native Norman Kottke was awarded his Prisoner of War medal.
It was presented to his widow, Adline Kottke, Monday afternoon following the Stewart Memorial Day service by representatives of the Armed Forces and U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota.
Norman Kottke was a bombardier in the 398th Bomb Group, and was supposed to be on his last mission in late November 1944 — his 33rd in 13 months — when his plane was shot out of the sky while on a mission to take out an oil refinery. Kottke put his emergency training into use, ejecting from his seat in the B-27 at 7,000 feet.
Even then, according to an article that was published many years ago in the Buffalo Lake News and cited by Klobuchar at Monday’s ceremony, Kottke’s sense of adventure took over.
Rather than pull his ripcord, he decided to experiment with freefalling, extending his arms to guide a change in direction as he plummeted from the sky.
But, eventually, he came to earth, was captured by the Germans, and held in a prisoner of war camp for six months.
He returned home from the war, settled on his farm and was an involved member of the Stewart community.
“He was one of those heroes who showed sheer fortitude and never gave up,” Klobuchar said of Kottke.
She noted that Kottke’s war experiences didn’t deter him from enjoying flying after the war, as he was a member of the Flying Farmers. “Not even being shot out of the sky or being a POW could keep Norman on the ground,” said Klobuchar.
The Kottke family had tried a couple of times to get Norman Kottke his POW medal after his death. One of his daughters persuaded Klobuchar’s office to intervene.
Klobuchar said that not only did her office determine that Kottke deserved his POW medal, but that there were several other medals he should have been awarded. “There should be a medal for every child you have,” Klobuchar joked to Adline Kottke.
*****
Norman and Adline Kottke’s son, Burton, also spoke briefly, thanking everyone for their efforts on the behalf of the family. If his dad, Norman, had been there, Burton said, “he would have reminded us that this was not, is not, about him, but about everyone who didn’t come home.”
The McLeod County Chronicle
Glencoe, Minnesota Vol. 118, No. 21
May 27, 2015
Honoring a hero — 70 years later
Late Norman Kottke awarded POW, other medals
By Lori Copler, Editor
Seventy-one years after his plane was shot down over Germany in World War II and he was taken captive, Stewart native Norman Kottke was awarded his Prisoner of War medal.
It was presented to his widow, Adline Kottke, Monday afternoon following the Stewart Memorial Day service by representatives of the Armed Forces and U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota.
Norman Kottke was a bombardier in the 398th Bomb Group, and was supposed to be on his last mission in late November 1944 — his 33rd in 13 months — when his plane was shot out of the sky while on a mission to take out an oil refinery. Kottke put his emergency training into use, ejecting from his seat in the B-27 at 7,000 feet.
Even then, according to an article that was published many years ago in the Buffalo Lake News and cited by Klobuchar at Monday’s ceremony, Kottke’s sense of adventure took over.
Rather than pull his ripcord, he decided to experiment with freefalling, extending his arms to guide a change in direction as he plummeted from the sky.
But, eventually, he came to earth, was captured by the Germans, and held in a prisoner of war camp for six months.
He returned home from the war, settled on his farm and was an involved member of the Stewart community.
“He was one of those heroes who showed sheer fortitude and never gave up,” Klobuchar said of Kottke.
She noted that Kottke’s war experiences didn’t deter him from enjoying flying after the war, as he was a member of the Flying Farmers. “Not even being shot out of the sky or being a POW could keep Norman on the ground,” said Klobuchar.
The Kottke family had tried a couple of times to get Norman Kottke his POW medal after his death. One of his daughters persuaded Klobuchar’s office to intervene.
Klobuchar said that not only did her office determine that Kottke deserved his POW medal, but that there were several other medals he should have been awarded. “There should be a medal for every child you have,” Klobuchar joked to Adline Kottke.
*****
Norman and Adline Kottke’s son, Burton, also spoke briefly, thanking everyone for their efforts on the behalf of the family. If his dad, Norman, had been there, Burton said, “he would have reminded us that this was not, is not, about him, but about everyone who didn’t come home.”
The McLeod County Chronicle
Glencoe, Minnesota Vol. 118, No. 21
May 27, 2015
Late Norman Kottke awarded POW, other medals
By Lori Copler, Editor
Seventy-one years after his plane was shot down over Germany in World War II and he was taken captive, Stewart native Norman Kottke was awarded his Prisoner of War medal.
It was presented to his widow, Adline Kottke, Monday afternoon following the Stewart Memorial Day service by representatives of the Armed Forces and U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota.
Norman Kottke was a bombardier in the 398th Bomb Group, and was supposed to be on his last mission in late November 1944 — his 33rd in 13 months — when his plane was shot out of the sky while on a mission to take out an oil refinery. Kottke put his emergency training into use, ejecting from his seat in the B-27 at 7,000 feet.
Even then, according to an article that was published many years ago in the Buffalo Lake News and cited by Klobuchar at Monday’s ceremony, Kottke’s sense of adventure took over.
Rather than pull his ripcord, he decided to experiment with freefalling, extending his arms to guide a change in direction as he plummeted from the sky.
But, eventually, he came to earth, was captured by the Germans, and held in a prisoner of war camp for six months.
He returned home from the war, settled on his farm and was an involved member of the Stewart community.
“He was one of those heroes who showed sheer fortitude and never gave up,” Klobuchar said of Kottke.
She noted that Kottke’s war experiences didn’t deter him from enjoying flying after the war, as he was a member of the Flying Farmers. “Not even being shot out of the sky or being a POW could keep Norman on the ground,” said Klobuchar.
The Kottke family had tried a couple of times to get Norman Kottke his POW medal after his death. One of his daughters persuaded Klobuchar’s office to intervene.
Klobuchar said that not only did her office determine that Kottke deserved his POW medal, but that there were several other medals he should have been awarded. “There should be a medal for every child you have,” Klobuchar joked to Adline Kottke.
*****
Norman and Adline Kottke’s son, Burton, also spoke briefly, thanking everyone for their efforts on the behalf of the family. If his dad, Norman, had been there, Burton said, “he would have reminded us that this was not, is not, about him, but about everyone who didn’t come home.”
The McLeod County Chronicle
Glencoe, Minnesota Vol. 118, No. 21
May 27, 2015
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