After graduation from South Philadelphia High School in 1917, Norton served briefly as a seaman in the Navy Reserves during World War I[1] before majoring in chemistry at Penn State.

[5] In October 1942, he was commissioned as a Navy lieutenant commander and assigned to Washington, D.C. as Head of the Latin American section of the Army-Navy Petroleum Board.

[1] "For exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States while serving as Head of the Latin American section of the Army-Navy Petroleum Board, as Tanker Control Officer with the Commander of Naval Forces in Europe and as Navy member of the Petroleum Section of the Staff of the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force from November 6, 1942, to December 27, 1944.

An astute administrator, Commodore (then Commander) Grubb organized and maintained efficient petroleum supply operations for Latin America and for naval forces in the European theater and, in addition, was instrumental in perfecting tanker communications security measures which virtually eliminated the possibility of leakage to enemy agents.

For the President, James Forrestal, Secretary of the Navy" In 1921, Norton Grubb married Edith Rosemary Class (1900–1981) of Darby, Pennsylvania.