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Old 24th August 2023, 14:07
R Leonard R Leonard is offline
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Join Date: Dec 2004
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R Leonard is an unknown quantity at this point
Re: Marvin Dowdy Norton (USNA'39)

All TWS has served to do is sow confusion. Just because someone at TWS throws up a patch for the VT-10 designated training squadron does not mean Norton was actually in that squadron. The VT-10 training squadron was not even established until 1960!

Looks more like to me that some enthusiast said to himself "Oh, here's a VT-10 patch, he must have been in that one," and so they even go on to list it for the period he was in the torpedo squadron. Google "VT-10' and you get a bunch of training squadron stuff, nothing whatsoever to do with VT-10 the torpedo squadron.

Instead, google "Torpedo Squadron 10" and you get hits for "The Buzzard Brigade" such as
https://www.daveswarbirds.com/cactus/vt-10.htm which lists Norton as a pilot in the squadron
or
a book on the subject: https://www.amazon.com/Buzzard-Briga.../dp/1575100118

VT-10 had multiple deployments, at least five on Enterprise or Intrepid as well as ashore on Guadalcanal, from 1942 up to the bitter end. The moniker "Buzzard Brigade" with the diving buzzard carrying a mop as an insignia comes from where as VF-10, the Grim Reapers, motto was "Mow them down," VT-10 picked up on that and their motto was "Mop 'em up."
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F...gnia,_1943.png

The VT-10 in which Norton served was the torpedo squadron, not the training squadron. You have to ask yourself, why do they not show the insignia for the torpedo squadron? I can tell you why, because someone has no idea what they're doing and grabs the first thing they find.

There is nothing in the obit itself that would indicate that assignment to the training squadron is true. Just like the NAS Pensacola patch they show . . . well, he went through flight training there, duh.

Beware of people who really don't have a clue on what they're looking at or what they're talking about. As for the single star on the air medal, my bet is that they screwed the pooch on that, too. Probably should be a silver star device indicating six awards. And the campaign stars? Who knows, that's another TSW thing. Could be right, might not be, but there's no evidence to prove either way.

Really don't recommend TWS as a point of definitive research source.
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