COL John J. Norton, NC For extraordinary heroism while serving as Commanding Officer of Company E, Second Battalion, Fifth Marines, First Marine Division (Reinforced), in connection with operations in the Republic of Vietnam. On the night of 21 April 1968 during Operation Baxter Garden, the battalion commander was conducting a command and staff conference to review the day’s actions and make plans for the resumption of the attack the following morning. The meeting was held in the semidarkness of a small open area serving as the temporary battalion command post. As the meeting concluded, a trip wire attached to a hand grenade buried in the ground was accidentally pulled, activating the grenade. Instantly realizing the peril to the closely assembled group in the confined area, Captain Norton, completely ignoring the danger to his own life unhesitatingly clutched the grenade to his chest, fell to the ground, and rolled on top the grenade to shield other members of the command group from the expected blast. Lying motionless on the grenade, he calmly warned everyone to clear the area. When the device failed to detonate and engineers summoned to examine the grenade could not determine the exact condition of the firing device because of the position of Captain Norton’s body on the grenade, he cleared the area of all personnel and courageously rolled away from the grenade. When the grenade failed to detonate, it was determined to have a faulty mechanism and was subsequently destroyed in place. By his courage, bold initiative, and selfless devotion to duty at the risk of his own life, Captain Norton upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.

Col. Norton is a life member.