George W. "Nordie" Norwood
| Era | Vietnam War |
|---|---|
| Branch | U.S. Air Force |
| Rank | Major General |
| Military Decorations | Distinguished Flying Cross |
| Wall | CC |
| Wall Side | 3 |
| Row | 1 |
| Plaque Number | 12 |
Following graduation from El Cajon Valley High School, Nordie enlisted in the US Air Force Reserves in June1960 and began a very circuitous route to a college degree that included Air Force Basic Training, Naval Academy Prep School, Air Force Academy (1 year), San Diego City College, Grossmont College, and finally San Diego State.
He and Mary Jordan of El Cajon married in 1963 and have 2 daughters Susan and Deborah who both live in the San Diego area.
He graduated in 1967 from San Diego State and was commissioned a 2nd Lt through the Air Force ROTC program. Following pilot training at Williams AFB, AZ, he became an Air Force fighter pilot, flying 450 combat missions in A-1 Skyraiders and F-4 Phantoms in the Vietnam War. In addition to Vietnam, he served in Thailand, Panama, Korea, Germany, and Japan in numerous operational, command and staff positions including command of three F-16 wings. His experience included service as a carrier qualified exchange pilot with the US Navy on the USS Ranger. He completed his military career in 1997 as a Major General and as the Deputy Chief of Staff, United Nations Command and United States Forces, Korea. Along the way, he received an MBA in Management from Golden Gate University, and graduated from the Defense Language Institute (Spanish) and the National War College.
He married Connie Migliore (an Army Helicopter Pilot from Tampa, FL) in 1983. She and he then served in Washington DC, Germany, Japan, and Korea.
Following his military career, he was a defense and aviation consultant as president of Norwood & Associates, Inc. In that capacity, he provided technical advice and strategic planning expertise to corporations pursuing aviation and defense related opportunities. He also served on several Advisory Boards and Boards of Directors for privately held and publicly traded corporations—as well as “not for profits”.
About 20 years ago, Nordie began sailing and obtained a Coast Guard Mariners License (100 Ton Master) and became certified as an American Sailing Master Instructor. He is now owner and lead instructor of Flagship Sailing—teaching all levels of sailing from Beginning to Advanced (including Offshore Passage Making and Celestial Navigation).
Plaque Wall Map
