A Severna Park Veteran Is Remembered

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West Severna Park resident Anne Butterworth and her family swell with pride when “The Star-Spangled Banner” is sung and when Memorial Day and Veterans Day roll around. Butterworth remembers her dad, James Norris, who served in the U.S. Army during World War II.

“He was drafted when he was 19,” Butterworth said of James Norris. “He stormed Normandy the day after D-Day with the 148th Combat Engineer Battalion. His duty was minesweeping and building temporary bridges. They called them pontoon or floating bridges. After they’d build a bridge, a convoy would come through and then they’d blow up the bridge so the enemy couldn’t come along those routes.”

Norris’ battalion liberated a town in France by disarming a German tank. “He went back to Normandy when he was in his 60s. The town threw the battalion a party to thank them,” Butterworth said.

He retired at the rank of major and turned his attention to getting a law degree. He practiced law in the U.S. Army Reserves’ Judge Advocate Army Reserve Component.

“My father was smart. He liked books. He passed the bar exam the first time!” Butterworth said proudly.

In his spare time, Norris enjoyed travel and entertaining. “He liked good food, a gin and tonic, and vacation,” she said with a laugh.

Norris didn’t talk about the war. Butterworth said it wasn’t in his nature to share about that part of his life. Years after returning home, Norris moved to Florida with his wife, Nancy. Norris died from a fall in 2002. Nancy lives in Palm Desert, California.

Including Amy, Norris and Nancy had six children: Mary Felando, Karen Perry, Edward Norris, Michael Morris and James Morris III, who lives in Severna Park.

Butterworth, who is married to James Butterworth, shares the story of her dad’s military career with her children, Lindsay and Nick. “We’re all so proud. We can’t stop thinking about all that he did,” Butterworth said.

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