Memorial Street Signs
"DEARBORN AVENUE"
In observance of every Memorial Day, Hampton Veterans of Foreign Wars gave the supreme sacrifice in defense of their country, in WORLD WAR II, KOREA and VIETNAM and streets, bridges, parks & playgrounds in Hampton, were named in their honor.
In Memory of Norman M. Dearborn -- World War II
[Photo courtesy John Hirtle, Atlantic News]
Hampton Academy Jr. High School on May 29, 1998,
produced and directed by Sheila Nudd, Music Director.]
9. NORMAN M. DEARBORN, offered by Kirsten Russell:
Norman Dearborn was born in the year 1917. H:is parents, Mr. and Mrs. G. Milton Dearborn raised him in a small house on Exeter Road. When he went to Hampton Academy for his primary education, including his graduation of high school, he was a good student, making Honor Rolls. His favorite subjects were math and science, in which he did well in both. He was a well-rounded child playing trumpet in the school band, and baseball as a sport.
After he graduated, Norman went to Bentley College, Accounting and Finance. After he got his degree there, he got a job at New England Telephone and Telegraph. While he was going to school at Hampton Academy, he met a lady named Betty Chase. Five years after they graduated, they got married. They lived together in Boston, near Fenway Park. Once in a while they would be in their apartment and would hear the crowd cheering. Norman would always wonder out loud what had happened.
In the year 1943, Norman enlisted in the United States Air Force. He had to go to aviation training for two years. In January of 1945, Norman was commissioned 2nd. Lieutenant and navigators wings for the United States Air Force. He was stationed in Luzon, which was in the Philippines. In November of 1945, while waiting to come home in the South Pacific, there was a plane accident. Norman, a few weeks earlier, had written to Mrs. Betty Dearborn telling her that he and the others shad been having trouble with the plane and had to stop and have it repaired. They tested it and it seemed fine. So they started their journey home. When they were overseas, the plane went down an all aboard were killed.
Norman's body was laid to rest in the High Street Cemetery at his family's plot. Norman Dearborn was the tenth Hampton man to die during World War II. He died after serving his country and should be remembered for his bravery. Mr. Dearborn received a Gold Star by The American Legion for his service in the war.
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