Norman Carl Gaddis (September 30, 1923 – February 13, 2024) was a United States Air Force officer, fighter pilot and prisoner of war.
His early years were affected by the Great Depression including frequent moves by his parents, Bruce and Allie, to find work and suitable housing.
His mother was hospitalized for tuberculosis in 1928 and in order for his father to continue to work, Gaddis; his 7-year-old brother Ralph; and 1-year-old sister; Opal, were placed in an orphanage until the sanatorium had an apartment for the family.
He was issued uniforms and shoes and moved to his first duty station at Page Field Army Airfield in Fort Myers, Florida.
On January 10, 1945, Gaddis married Hazel Lee Ketner, his high school sweetheart, in the study of the First Baptist Church in Panama City, Florida.
Gaddis enrolled in the pre-med program at the University of Tennessee, served in the Army Air Forces Reserve, and worked part-time in a large drugstore.
There were several opportunities for him to return to active duty, especially with the establishment of the US Air Force in September 1947; however, even with almost 500 hours of flight time, he did not meet the criterion of a college degree.
During this time Gaddis was promoted to 1st Lieutenant and earned the call sign "Snapper" because of his execution of a "snap-roll" maneuver as he flew a P-47 at 1,500 feet (460 m) and 300 mph across the Fürstenfeldbruck airfield.
While assigned to the 31st Wing, which was a Nuclear Weapons unit, he participated in Operation Fox Peter One, the first jet fighter crossing of the Pacific Ocean.
While there he had temporary duty at Edwards Air Force Base, California, to conduct performance testing on a new airplane, the F-100D Super Sabre.
During this time he worked with test pilots Chuck Yeager, Deke Slayton, Ivan Kincheloe, Jim Carson and Lou Shalk.
In May 1957 Gaddis moved to Foster Air Force Base, Texas, to serve with the 450th Fighter Wing as the Squadron Operations Officer.
In July 1961 Major Gaddis was assigned to Headquarters, U.S. Air Force Directorate of Operations as a staff officer in the Tactical Division.
He also received orders for an assignment as the Assistant Deputy for Operations, 12th Tactical Fighter Wing at Cam Ranh Air Base, South Vietnam.
General William W. Momyer, the Seventh Air Force commander, was concerned that some of the senior officers might be injured or killed in the attacks.
Their target was a boat manufacturing plant in the southwest edge of Hanoi near the border of Hà Tây and Hòa Bình Provinces.
It was composed of all United States branches - Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps - as well as allied prisoners from South Vietnam and Thailand and was led by Colonels John P. Flynn and Robinson Risner.
Just after dark on 18 December 1972 the prisoners heard the unmistakable sound of bomb blasts over Hanoi which indicated the start of Operation Linebacker II.
He was informed that the camp was going to make a special release of 18 POWs in honor of Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who was at Gia Lam Airport in Hanoi.
One of the men, who did not want to be stigmatized as a collaborator by being released early, ran back into the area and asked if he could wait for Gaddis at Clark Air Field in the Philippines.
When the plane landed at Andrews Air Force Base in Washington, DC, General Daniel (Chappie) James was there to meet them.
In an 18 November 2007 article written by Bonnie Rochman for the Raleigh News and Observer, son, Tony, is quoted: "Where others wanted to vent, she craved action.
One of the most notable and controversial missions that Hazel was involved with was a letter writing campaign to the North Vietnamese negotiators to the Paris Peace Talks.
After 90 days of convalescence and completing a requalification course for POWs in San Antonio, Texas, Gaddis assumed duties as the vice commander of the 82nd Flying Training Wing at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona, in August 1973.
Gaddis retired on 1 June 1976, with General David C. Jones, Chief of Staff, United States Air Force officiating.
After Gaddis's retirement, the family moved back to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where Hazel and younger son, Tony, had lived during the imprisonment.
Travel in Europe has included several trips to Normandy to visit the grave of his brother, Ralph, who was killed on June 12, 1944, during the D-Day invasion of France at Omaha Beach.
Following Hazel's death in 2007, Gaddis eventually moved in with his younger son and spent time between Raleigh and the family farm.
The farm, in Vance County, is 90 acres and includes a home, barns, hay fields, pine forest as well as solar power for the house and well.
[4] General Gaddis received the following awards and decorations:[5] For his extraordinary and enduring accomplishments in aviation for Tennessee and our nation, and for his service to our country, Brig.