Hunt County man KIA during WWII will be laid to rest Saturday after 78 years

File / Ingram Funeral Home

A Hunt County man who was killed in action during World War 2 will finally be laid to rest after 78 years in Quinlan, Texas. The public is invited to attend the ceremony, which will include full military honors provided by the United States Army.

Frank Ardith Norris was killed at the age of 23 on Aug. 1, 1943, in Ploesti, Romania. Unfortunately, it took nearly 80 years to recover his remains. He enlisted in the Army Air Force on Nov. 11, 1941, one month before the declaration of war against Germany.

He graduated from Aerial Engineers on Aug. 14, 1942, and after combat training was assigned to U.S. Army Air Forces, 345th Bombardment Squadron (B-24 Liberator Heavy), 98th Bombardment Group, 9th Air Force with the rank of Technical Sergeant.  His first combat assignment was in Africa.

Ardith’s B-24, named “Old Baldy,” flew dozens of missions before the fateful day known as “Black Sunday.”

Romania was a huge fuel supplier to the Nazi war effort, producing 30 percent of all Hitler’s fuel. The allies decided that a major effort to deny this fuel should take place with hopes it would shorten the war.

On August 1, 1943, Operation “Tidal Wave” commenced. 177 B-24s of the 9th Bomber Command took off from airfields near Benghazi, Libya, to bomb the oil refineries at Ploiesti, a 1,000-mile trip.  The bombers flew low to avoid radar detection and dropped time-delayed bombs.

One-hundred-sixty-seven managed to attack their targets, but the Germans were prepared.  The operation was costly with 57 planes and 532 airmen lost. Of the Americans killed, only 27 could be identified, not including Norris.

Among his many medals and decorations included the Distinguished Flying Cross with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster, a Purple Heart, the Air Medal with Silver Oak Leaf Cluster (awarded six times for single acts of heroism), and the Greek War Cross with Bronze Crown (second class, awarded twice).

Five Medals of Honor were awarded for the Ploiesti raid. All five groups that took part received Presidential Unit Citations. It was the second-largest loss of life in U.S. air raid history.

The public is invited to attend his memorial service, which will be held on Saturday, April 30, 2022, at the Ford High School auditorium at 2 p.m., 10064 S. State Highway Spur 264, in Quinlan. Interment will be in the Paynetown Cemetery, Hwy 36, Quinlan, Texas next to his parents, siblings and many other family members.