Cpl. Robert David Norton was born in Maywood, Illinois on November 11, 1921, to Henry F. Norton and Bertha W. Block-Norton. He had three sisters, one died as an infant, four brothers, and a half-sister. His family resided at 1701 South Sixth Avenue, Maywood, and he graduated from Garfield School and attended Proviso Township High School, but he left high school after his first year. It is known that he worked at a company that manufactured doors and windows.
On November 25, 1941, he enlisted in the United States Marines while he was in Cincinnati, Ohio, and named his parents as his next of kin. He received the serial number 33 25 28 and did his basic training at Paris Island, North Carolina. It is not known where or what units he was assigned before he joined Company L, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, which was activated on August 14, 1943, at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. It was sent to Camp Pendleton, California, for deployment to the South Pacific and left the US on January 13, 1944.
The 4th Marines went into action on January 30, 1944, in capturing of the Battle of Kwajalein Atoll securing the island on February 3rd. It next took part in the Battle of Saipan from June 11th to July 9th. He next took part in the Battle of Tinian Island from July 24th to August 1st. His division was pulled for action and rested. They then prepared for the Invasion of Iwo Jima. The invasion of the island started on February 19, 1945, with the first waves landing. It was during the landings on Iwo Jima that Robert was reported missing in action. The next day, he was reported dead. The MIA status was continued until February 20, 1946, when he was declared dead. No information is available as to when his parents learned of he was Missing in Action.
The Office of the Quartermaster General, Washington DC, in a document from Oct 6, 1949, reported that his remains were non-recoverable. From available information this simply meant that his remains had been recovered but could not be identified. Cpl. Robert D. Norton’s name was placed on the Honolulu Memorial Courts of the Missing, National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii. At this time, the identification of his remains are considered an active case by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency and DNA is being sought to identify him. This is a link to his page on the DPAA’s website.
