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Today in History – January 23, 1939 – A Curtiss Hawk 75A surpasses all speed records at 575mph

January 23, 2021

23 January 1939 – Buffalo, N.Y., January 24—(AP)—A Curtiss Hawk 75A pursuit plane, one of 100 being constructed for the French Government, has “substantially exceeded …

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Today in History – January 23, 1939 – A Curtiss Hawk 75A surpasses all speed records at 575mph

January 23, 2021

23 January 1939 – Buffalo, N.Y., January 24—(AP)—A Curtiss Hawk 75A pursuit plane, one of 100 being constructed for the French Government, has “substantially exceeded …

Read More →

Battaglia, Norman C.

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Norman C. Battaglia

Preferred Name: Norman
Nickname/Call Sign: Batt/Batman
Date of Birth: October 14, 1932
Headed West: May 21, 2018
Highest Military Grade Held: 0-4 – Major
Hometown: Portland, OR
Norman C. Battaglia - artist rendering
Biography
Headed West
Pilot Information
Biography

Norman Battaglia was flying a T-33 on the night of November 24, 1971, when Flight 305 was hijacked by D.B Cooper. In the book “Skyjack: The Hunt for D.B. Cooper” by Geoffrey Gray, he discusses Battaglia’s role. “To the west, Norman Battaglia, a National Guard flight instructor is on a night training mission in a T-33 reconnaissance fighter plane. The training mission is canceled.

“We want you to tail and aircraft,” an Air Traffic Controller said.

“The one that’s hijacked?”

“That’s the one.””

Norman stayed three-quarters of a mile behind it. Tailing the plane was difficult as Flight 305 was flying at a reduced airspeed and changed course frequently. Due to frequency differences, Battaglia was unable to communicate with Flight 305. He tailed the plane until he ran low on fuel and needed to land.

D.B. Cooper parachuted from Flight 305 with $200,000 of ransom money and parachutes that he had demanded and was never heard from again. Some of the money was found near the Columbia River in 1980.

Sources: Skyjack: The Hunt for D.B. Cooper” by Geoffrey Gray; Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D._B._Cooper

Headed West

Norman C. Battaglia “Headed West” May 21, 2018.

He is buried in Willamette National Cemetery in Portland, Oregon next to his wife Blondell.

 

Pilot Information

Units Assigned

  • 1956-57 Liasion Pilot SAC, 24th SRS, Moses Lake AFB, WA (T-33A)
  • 5/1957-7/1957 Fighter Gunnery School, Williams AFB, AZ (F-86F)
  • 7/1957-8/ 1957 Flight Training & Gunnery, Nellis AFB, AZ (F-100A)
  • 9/1957-3/1960 44th TFS, Kadena AB, Okinawa (F-100D)
  • 4/1960-12/1965 Myrtle Beach AFB, South Carolina (F-100D)
  • 2/1966-12/1970 123 FIS, ORANG, Portland IAP, Oregon (F-102A)
  • 6/1970-3/1973 Instrument Flight Instructor, 142d FIG, ORANG, Portland IAP, OR (T-33A)/
  • 3/1973-9/1981 Chief Current Plans 153d TACC, ORANG, Portland IAP, OR (T-33A IP)
  • 10/1/1981 Retired USAF

Awards & Decorations

Flight Info

T-33A
F-86F
F-100 A/D
F-102A

Military & Civilian Education

Military Education

  • Jet Pilot School class 55R
  • T-6G Malden, MO
  • T-33A Laredo, TX

Civilian Education

  • BA Political Science, Willamette, University; Salem, Oregon

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