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Del City honors hometown hero

  • Published
  • By Kathy E. Paine
  • Tinker Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Staff Sgt. John C. Norris, Tactical Air Control Party specialist with the Pennsylvania Air National Guard's 193rd Special Operations Wing, was recognized Aug. 1 by Del City Mayor Brian E. Linley for his military accomplishments.

Mayor Linley presented the deployed sergeant's grandmother Maureen Norris with a proclamation recognizing him for his heroic actions, dedication and hard work in Afghanistan where he serves with the 101st Airborne Division, Company A, 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, Task Force No Slack, where he operates shoulder-to-shoulder with United States Army infantrymen.

"Our community is so very proud of your grandson and everything he stands for," Mayor Linley said as he presented the proclamation to Ms. Norris. "Our community is very grateful of everything he has accomplished in protecting our nation's freedom. Without a doubt, he comes from a family of great values."

Col. Raymone Mijares, 848th Supply Chain Management Group commander, read the proclamation to Sergeant Norris' family and presented his grandmother with his commander's coin in appreciation for her grandson's outstanding accomplishments.

"Ma'am, we clearly understand heroes like your grandson aren't simply created; they are raised to be heroic by wonderful parents and grandparents like you," Colonel Mijares said. "As a small token of our appreciation, I'd like to present to you one of my group coins for raising an Air Force hero."

After completing basic training in October 2002, Sergeant Norris was recognized for his athletic aptitude and professional attitude and was recruited to join a small but elite group of Air Force professionals known Tactical Air Control Party.

Sergeant Norris has strong ties to the military. His grandfather, John W. Norris, was career Air Force and a Vietnam veteran who was once stationed at Tinker Air Force Base. His maternal great-grandfather Freddie Roberson, a veteran of the Army and Navy, was also a long-time resident of the Del City area. Sergeant Norris chose to follow in their footsteps and learned very early in his life that he would spend most of it traveling with the military.

Sergeant Norris was awarded the Army Commendation medal with valor devise for coordinating and controlling 120 close air support missions and conducting more than 100 combat patrols while with Task Force No Slack. He was also nominated for a Bronze Star with a valor device for actions of service and merit. In addition, he was recently selected as the Air National Guard Airman of the Year and as one of the 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year.