Norman K. Billipp, Major, USMC
Class of 1966

Major (posthumously) Norman K. Billipp, USMC, was a dedicated Marine whose plane was shot down over Quang Tri, Republic of Vietnam, on May 6, 1969, and declared missing in action that same year. During his eight months serving in Vietnam, he flew 265 combat missions and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and other numerous citations. Major Norman K. Billipp was a 1966 University of Wisconsin Naval ROTC Graduate and former Midshipman Battalion Commander. In early 1996, after 27 years, Major Billipp’s remains were recovered and returned to the United States, and he was buried at Arlington National Cemetery on November 15, 1996

The following letter was sent to the University of Wisconsin NROTC in 2019 by his brother Andy.

April 6, 2019

This collection of personal recollections, pictures and NKB medal awards is presented to the University of Wisconsin NROTC and Marine Option Detachment in honor of our brother Norm, in celebration of each respective Major Norman K. Billipp Memorial Award recipient, and in honor and celebration of our mother Elizabeth Billipp Lathrop and our late father Gordon K. Billipp.

Norm attended the University of Wisconsin on a NROTC scholarship, served as Midshipman Battalion Commander, received his commission as a 2ND LT USMC upon graduation in May 1966, was a hard-charging member of TBS 1-67 B Company, received his Naval Aviator wings in record time as a 1ST LT in March 1968, became combat qualified as an A-4 Skyhawk pilot with Marine Attack Squadron VMA 214 (Blacksheep) at MCAS El Toro, Calif. from April -August 1968, and began his 13 month overseas combat tour flying the A-4 with Marine Attack Squadron VMA-211 in Chu Lai, RVN, in early September 1968. Norm served with distinction as an A-4 Skyhawk Section Leader and Division Leader for seven months, flying close air support missions daily in support of U.S. Marines, soldiers and ARVN troops on the ground. In April 1969, Norm was reassigned to VMO-6 in Quang Tri as an 0-1 Bird Dog forward air control C'FAC") pilot flying 2-4 flights per day to help direct and control U.S. tactical jet aircraft and naval gunfire in support of U.S. troops in direct contact with the enemy. On May 6, 1969, Norm and his backseat aerial observer, 1ST LT John Robert Hagan, failed to return from their second mission of the day and, with no voice contact and no known location or cause of loss, both Marine officers were listed as Missing in Action. Having just turned 24 in March 1969, Norm was one of the youngest and most highly-decorated Marine Corps aviators to serve during the Vietnam war. He was posthumously awarded 22 air medals for over 265 combat missions, the Distinguished Flying Cross (2), the Bronze Star with Combat V, and the Purple Heart. After subsequent promotions to Captain and Major, Norm and Bob Hagan were declared KIA in June 1976. Over a period of several months in 1995/96, 27 years after first being declared MIA, Norm and Hagan's crash site was identified, excavated and confirmed approx. 20 miles inside Laos, and the remains of both Marines were laid to rest with honors at Arlington National Cemetery in November 1996. Norm's courageous and loving spirit, and commitment to country, family, friends and fellow Marines, have inspired all of his family and many others every day for fifty years. His brothers Andy, Jim and Peter visited the crash site in Laos in January 2010. Semper Fi, Norm.

Signed “Andy”