Norman Winston Gourley – Major General, United States Marine Corps

Information Provided By The General’s Friend of 52 Years, Jack Reed.

Norman Winston Gourley, age 77, died at his home in Hot Springs Village, February 17.  He was born in Salem, Massachusetts, May 9, 1921.

After graduation from Wentworth Institute in Boston, he joined the naval service as an Aviation Cadet in June 1942 and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps in June 1943.  He was assigned to fighter squadrons and served in the South Pacific and Philippine Islands.

After World War II,  he attended Test Pilots School and susequently became an instructor in the Marine Corps’  first jet squadron.

A career Marine, he served in operational and staff assignments  in the United States, Japan, Korea and Vietnam.  He was promoted to Brigadier General in 1970 and assigned duty as  Deputy for Operations, European Command.  Later he became Director of the Marine Corps Developement Center.  Promoted to Major General he was named  Director of Plans, Marine Corps, Commanding General, First Marine Aircraft Wing and Director for Operations, Pacific Fleet the position held upon his retirement after  35½ years of service.

Upon retirement he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal.  In addition he held the Legion of Merit (2), Distinguished Flying Cross (4) and Air Medal (12) and many other commendation and campaign medals.

After his retirement in 1978, he and his wife Eva moved to  Hot Springs Village where he became active in Village and Hot Springs activities.  He was a board member and President of the Property Owner’s Association,  President of the Village Breakfast Lions Club, Board Member of St. Josephs Region Health Center, Ouachita Council, Boy Scouts of America, Worthen Bank, University of Arkansas School of Medical Science, Community Counseling Service and Village Community Foundation.  He was active in Chamber of Commerce Activites and served on the Transportation Committee.  His interest in the community was never as great as when he instructed and taught Literacy Classes for nine years.  He chaired the Garland County United Way Fund Raising Campaign for two years  and was also a member of 50 for the Future.  To these organizations he devoted almost twenty years before illness prevented his continuation.  He was recognized with the Silver Beaver Award by the Boy Scouts of America, Melvin Jones Fellow Award by Lions International, the Paul Harris Award by Rotary International and received honors from the Saline and Garland County Chamber of Commerce.

He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Eva; a Son Norman Jr and wife Roxanne of Greenville, South Carolina, a daughter Anne and husband Andrew of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and a son Douglas and wife Lisa of Independence, Missouri.  Also seven grandchildren, Norman Winston III, Heather, and John Gourley, Drew and Bryan Berky and Abigail and Christopher Williams.

Visitation will be held Thursday, 18 February at Caruth-Hale Funeral Home, Hot Springs Village from 5 PM to 7 PM.  Memorial Services will be held Friday 19 February at 2:00 PM  at St. Lukes Episcopal Church, 228 Spring Street, Hot Springs.

The family has ask that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to the Boy Scouts of America, PO Box 1234, Hot Springs, 71902,  St. Lukes Episcopal Church, 228 Spring Street, Hot Springs and Hospice Care, 1401 Malvern Avenue, Hot Springs,

HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE — Retired Major General Norman Gourley, 77, of  Springs Village died Wednesday, February 17, 1999. He was born May 9, 1921, in Salem, Massachusetts. Services are 1 p.m. Thursday, March 4, 1999, at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.

Michael Robert Patterson

Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.

Reviewed by: Michael Howard