Bill Norberg, Battle of Midway Veteran (Full Interview)
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- Опубликовано: 16 окт 2024
- A veteran of the Second World War, Bill Norberg was stationed onboard USS Enterprise from the first day of the war until the last, serving under nine commanding officers. Listen to his story here.
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Bill is my dear Uncle! He is going to celebrate his 100th birthday in November of this year!
Can't believe he is still ticking. Please give him my kind regards. Semper Fidelis.
What a great man.
A year later....is he still alive and kicking?
@themuckler8176 sadly, he passed away last June at age 100, but he was sharp and kind until the end!
@@ChrisJeszeck I'm sorry to hear that.
That is my uncle... "Uncle Willard' Thank you for sharing this... He is indeed a treasure
I hate to put one hero above another but these Men saved the US
He came to my school! On Feb 3 2021
Very articulate and could listen for hours to such a humble & gentle but, great man.
I can easily understand his pride in having served on the Big E.
I watch a lot of veteran interviews. I think Bill typifies the goodness of the "citizen soldier" (and sailor) in WW II. He is soft-spoken and modest. He even expresses compassion for the Japanese. Another member of "The Greatest Generation", a name that is justly deserved.
Thank you for your service.
Amazingly articulate and sharp. Close your eyes and he’s 50.
Hero. Like many of that great generation. This gentleman is history. Thanks for sharing this!
I can't believe that people have given this a thumbs down!! I mean what the hell this guy is a bad ass!! Thanks for your service!!
A great story from a most gallant and humble hero of the USS "Lexington". I admire you mr. Bill Norberg.
Norberg mentions a close call with a Japanese bomber. Aviation Machinist's Mate, petty officer Bruno Gaido was the sailor who so bravely shot down a "Betty" bomber when it tried to kamikaze into the deck of the USS "Enterprise". Gaido may haved saved the "Lexington" from a fate like USS "Yorktown"!? He no doubt saved many crewmen from death or injury and the ship from significant damage.
Gaido and his pilot Ensign Frank O'Flaherty's "Dauntless" bomber were downed and ditched in the sea a few days later. They were picked up by the Japanese destroyer "Makigumo", and beaten and then executed by being thrown overboard, weighed down. The enemy's twisted "revenge" for the loss of their carriers. A war crime and a very tragic end for two very brave men.
The murderous crew of the destroyer were sunk, when "Makigumo" struck a mine on Feb 1st 1943 and was scuttled.A small justice.
Gaido was promoted by Adm. Halsey, but he should have been decorated with the Navy Distinguished Service Medal or silver star for shooting down the "Betty" + his part in sinking the Japanese carrier force. Posthumously. As should Ensign O'Flaherty, for the attack on the japanese carriers.
I am a Navy Veteran myself and had a job somewhat similar to what Mr. Bill Norberg describes (although not during WW2 off course). Bill Norberg is a humble and great man - and a hero. I salute you and thank you for sharing your story, and for your fight to free the World from the Axis of evil!
I wish I could wear a CV-6 hat as an actual surviving crew member. USS Enterprise was the best ship ever. I could not imagine watching the Yorktown go down. That must have been really something to see. Thanks for your service, Mr. Norberg.
He actually couldn't see it. The Enterprise was on the way to Pearl already, when Yorktown sunk. He saw the first hit by Hiryu's bombers and then by torpedo planes, but not her sinking three days later when Enterprise and Hammann were hit by torpedoes from Japanese sub I-168.
Another Midway hero:
Robert (“King”) Huntington ’40 was a member of the Tatler staff and, like McKay, played football. One of his classmates, Edward C. Larson, described him in his memoir Spear Carrier in a Backwater War as “a rugged kid, a senior, and one of the stalwarts of the team.” Despite being new to the school and a self-described “terrible football player,” Larson recalls that “Bob always treated me with kindness and made me feel a part of the team … it was a brand of kindness that a teenage kid never forgets.” Huntington enlisted in the Navy in April 1941, where he volunteered to work in the torpedo planes - one of the deadliest divisions available. “Throughout his work at Lakeside, King showed character, ability, and willingness to fight against odds,” master’s notations remark of his character - and fight against the odds he did. As a rear gunner in a torpedo plane, Huntington battled tooth and nail amidst immense anti-aircraft barrage and opposition, all without fighter support and insufficient fuel. At 21, he was a part of Torpedo Squadron 8, who gave their lives in the Battle of Midway, June 4, 1942, receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross for extraordinary achievement and heroism. The USS Robert K. Huntington (DD-781), an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer, was named in his honor and earned two battle stars for service in Vietnam.

Thank you so very much for your service sir I just wish my grandpa was still alive so I could tell him how proud of him I am for his service in WW2 he was in the united states'army he was in the army from 1939 to 1944 he caught malaria bad in the jungle of new Guinea but he saw lots of action I just wish I could have told him how proud I am of him for his service I miss him everyday he wasn't just my grandpa but my best friend
Wow glad I found this video. Wish it had more views!
Mr Norberg was a neighbor in Cornelius NC
Thanks for your service!
A Very Interesting account of His Activities on the USS Enterprise, throughout the Pacific Campaign, Thankyou for Your Service 👍
Humble man.
A humble and a great man!
A witness to history.....the fact he actually saw the face of the kamikaze flyer that cut the tail off the plane on the deck.
Terrific interview, thank you for your service Sir.
Excellent interview, thank you
Thank you Sir
Thank You for your service SIR
Now go watch Battle 360 USS Enterprise. For more history of the Big E.
Hell yeah! He was actually featured on that program if I remember correctly
@@danielhughes5517 Yep, and he told one of his 'embarassing' stories on it too... a General Quarters Alarm
@@glennnorbergDONOTUSE hahaha I remember him telling that story. It's a great feeling having the blood of a warrior in your veins. My grandfather Homer L Pease fought the Germans and was killed in Vietnam. Wish I could have met him
Solid guy So humble
I'm just learning about the Midway battles. I'm getting videos of the planes at Kalamazoo Air Museum.
Bruno Guido was the Sailor who ran to the parked Dive Bomber and used the pair of 30 caliber Machine Guns to shoot down the Betty Bomber that tried to Kamikaze the Enterprise. But at the Battle of Midway he and his Pilot Frank O'Flaherty ran out of Fuel after the attack sinking the 3 Japanese Carriers because their Plane was shot up, they had to ditch at sea and were picked up by the Japanese, it was learned after the War that they were held for 10 days and interrogated , actually tortured then tied together with Gas Cans and thrown overboard.
A tale og valor and tragedy indeed. The sailor's name was actually Bruno GAIDO (not Guido). I don't mean to correct you, just clarify :).
Aviation Machinist's Mate, petty officer Bruno Gaido was the sailor who so bravely shot down a "Betty" bomber when it tried to kamikaze into the deck of the USS "Enterprise".
When Gaido and his pilot Ensign Frank O'Flaherty were downed in the sea a few days later, they were picked up by the Japanese destroyer "Makigumo", and - as you told - beaten and then executed by drowning. The enemy's twisted "revenge" for the loss of their carriers. A war crime and a very tragic end for two very brave men.
Gaido was promoted by Adm. Halsey, but he should have been decorated with the Navy Distinguished Service Medal or silver star for shooting down the "Betty" + his part in sinking the Japanese carrier force. Posthumously. As should Ensign O'Flaherty, for the attack on the japanese carriers.
I am a Navy Veteran myself and had a job somewhat similar to what Mr. Bill Norberg describes (although not during WW2 off course). Bill Norberg is a humble and great man - and a hero. I salute you and thank you for sharing your story, and for your fight to free the World from the Axis of evil.
I was disappointed that the interviewer knew so little about the Midwest battle. He was only aware that 3 carriers of Kido Butai was sunk? Everybody who knows anything knows it was all four! After the Hiryu attacked the Yorktown twice, The Americans sent an evening strike with all available bombers to sink it. We all enjoy hearing from each warrior who was on the Enterprise in the war. Thank You to each one who gives personal testimony!
Tank you for your serves
You should have asked him about the Kamakaze that knocked the Enterprise out of the war. As a talker he would have had lots of personal tales from the damage control folks.
Richard Best is a bad man💯
RIP Richard Best
volume too low1 Other you tube videos are fine, so it is not me. pleaserecord louder. I can hear the interviewer, just not the vet too well. thanks
external speakers are the problem solver here
Cool as a cucumber this man. What an adventure he had
Point of reference, of the three US carriers at Midway: Yorktown, Hornet, and Enterprise was it the planes of the Enterprise that took out the Kaga and more importantly the Akagi and her dive bombers?
Torpedo bombers
Yes it was the big E. Yorktown went after Soryu
SBD dive bombers from Enterprise sunk first Kaga, then Akagi, and a few hours later Hiryu. In the meantime, Yorktown's SBDs sunk Soryu. The third US carrier - Hornet - didn't sink anything, didn't even hit anything during the first day of this battle.
Is mr.Norbert still with us in 2023?
Sadly, Uncle Bill died June 16, 2023, but he had reached his 100th birthday, sharp right up to his last day.
@@ChrisJeszeckdamn I’m really sorry about that! May he rest in peace r.i.p
B-16?
Though he was fighting for the most evil nation in the history of the world, we can still admire his bravery and sense of duty.
FY