The Descriptive Finding Guide for the Douglas Norris Personal Papers SDASM.SC.10108
Alan Renga
San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
4/16/2016
2001 Pan American Plaza, Balboa Park
San Diego 92101
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
Title: Douglas Norris Personal Papers
Identifier/Call Number: SDASM.SC.10108
Physical Description:
.5 Cubic Feet
This is a two box collection with dimensions 15 x 10 1⁄2 x 2 1⁄2 inches and 18 1⁄4 x 13 x 3 inches. In the collection there
is an oversized scrapbook, an officer yearbook, newspaper clippings, correspondence, a transcript, a pocket notebook, and
a few photographs. The collection contains information regarding the life and death of Douglas Norris.
Date (bulk): bulk
Abstract: Douglas Norris was an advanced flight instructor on the eve of World War Two.
Physical Description:
This is a two box collection with dimensions 15 x 10 1⁄2 x 2 1⁄2 inches and 18 1⁄4 x 13 x 3 inches. In the collection there
is an oversized scrapbook, an officer yearbook, newspaper clippings, correspondence, a transcript, a pocket notebook, and
a few photographs. The collection contains information regarding the life and death of Douglas Norris.
Biographical / Historical
Douglas Warren Norris, born in Hamilton, Ontario, December 26, 1916, attended Port Huron Junior College and graduated in 1937.
He took his preliminary flight training at Gross Ile, Naval Base in June, 1938. Here he was appointed an Aviation Cadet in
the Naval Reserve on November 23, 1938. From there he was transferred to Pensacola, Florida for further training. He was promoted
to Ensign on October 23, 1939, and then transferred to San Diego, California, where he spent two months. His squadron flew
to Honolulu on December 31, 1939, and it was his squadron that was the first to fly the Pacific (previous squadrons were transferred
by carrier). He spent eight months at Pearl Harbor, during which time he was selected as an outstanding officer to take a
cruise on a ship to the South Seas. On his return from the cruise, he was transferred to the Philippines. He was stationed
at the Cavite Naval Base, and was there when war broke out. He was on patrol duty at the time, and did not get back to the
base. It was there he lost all of his personal effects. From there he went to Java, and then to Australia, New Zealand, and
arrived at the United States on March 31, 1942. His next duty was in Corpus Christi, Texas, where he became an instructor
of advanced aviation students.
On September 3, 1942, Lieutenant Douglas Norris lost his life during a routine night flight.
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open to researchers.
Related Materials
NAS, San Diego
Hickman, Patrick M. and Goodspeed, M. Hill, “National Museum of Naval Aviation : the aircraft collection,” Pensacola, Florida,
c.2002. TL 506 .U6 .P45 1990
Russell, Sandy, “Naval aviation, 1911-1986: a pictorial study” Pensacola, Florida, 1986. VG 93 .N28 1986
Subjects and Indexing Terms
World War, 1939-1945
Douglas Norris
Series I: Personal Papers
Folder 1 – Personal Correspondence Series Description Box Listing
Physical Description: This folder contains two postcards and two letters from Douglas Norris to his parents and siblings.
Folder 2 – Douglas Norris Radio Transcript
Physical Description: This folder contains a 3 page transcript of The University of The Air-Is-On The Air radio broadcast dated June 18, 1942. It
is a radio show broadcasted at the US Naval Facilities at Corpus Christi at the USO clubhouse. In it there is an interview
between the broadcaster and Douglas Norris, who speaks about his experiences in World War II.
Folder 3 – Pre-Death Papers & Articles
Physical Description: This folder contains three newspaper clips regarding Douglas Norris’ commission into the United States Navy. Additionally,
there is a Commencement Exercises pamphlet from St. Stephen High School in Port Huron, Michigan, dated 1935. Douglas is listed
as a graduate.
Folder 4 – Douglas Norris Death, September 6, 1942
Physical Description: This folder contains a paper with Douglas’s biography, a St. Stephen Scribe paper with a 1-year anniversary marking Douglas’s
death, and several newspaper clips giving tribute to Douglas Norris.
Folder 5 – Pilot Pocket Notebook
Physical Description: This folder contains a pocketbook circa 1942. It contains notes on aircraft function, instrumentation, and control. The last
date is on Douglas’s crash.
Folder 6 – Books
Physical Description: 1. “University of the Air – In Pictures; U.S. Naval Air Station” at Corpus Christi. This book contains pictures of all the
activities that occur at the base.
2. “1939 Flight Jacket” – U.S. Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. This book is a yearbook with all the class members in
the program at NAS Pensacola.
Folder 7 – Photographs
Physical Description: This folder contains a few photographs, including potraits, his friend, and an unknown NAS where Douglas trained.
Series IV: Scrapbook
Physical Description: This box contains an oversized scrapbook containing several types of documents, including newspapers, correspondence, photographs,
tributes, compressed flowers, a velvet banner, and several dozen memorial cards, other cards, and notecards with people’s
names on them and their blessings.
