# It's funny how.....



## Lucky13 (Sep 28, 2013)

...when you're not looking for anything particular, you find things! Nordstrom, part of my family, relatives etc...different 'clans' if you like.
Dads cousin in Canada, Nordstrom...
Anyway, found this...

450th BG, 720th BS...







Back Row - Left to Right: 
S/Sgt. James M. Tornquist - Engineer/Waist Gunner 
Sgt. Thomas - Nose Gunner 
Lt. W. W. Wright - Navigator 
Lt. Harold W. Passow - Bombardier 
Lt. Clark - Co-Pilot 

Front Row - Left to Right: 
Lt. Joseph L. Karsonovich - Pilot 
Sgt. Carey Shoaf Jr. - Ball Turret 
Sgt. Bambeck - Tail Gunner 
Sgt. Beck - Radio/Gunner 

Sgt. Lloyd Nordstrom - Waist Gunner - was taking a shower when the photo was shot.

This crew also flew on Heavens Above .











Also found a Nordstrom with 459th BG, 759th BS, a Paul R. Nordstrom...B-24's as well!

As I was saying, may be different Nordstroms, still, they're Nordstroms, when you don't look for anything in particular... 8)

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## buffnut453 (Sep 28, 2013)

Agree...although your thread title made me think of one of the song "Funny How" by my favourite bands "Airhead". The lyric went "It's funny how the girls you fall in love with never fancy you, Funny how the ones you don't do." Just so true...apart frmo my wife!


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## Lucky13 (Sep 28, 2013)

Found another one....






Headley Crew - 837th Squadron
Back row L to R: 1st Lt Joseph F. Potzman (navigator), 1st Lt Julian Headley (pilot), 1st Lt John W. Nordstrom (co-pilot), 1st Lt Robert P. Guilbault (bombardier)
Others not identified specifically, but others in the Headley crew were: T/Sgt John D. Schaefer (radio operator), T/Sgt Thomas Pilch (flight engineer), S/Sgt Joseph M. Miron (armorer gunner), S/Sgt Walter F. Dydak (gunner), S/Sgt William T. Koonce (gunner), S/Sgt Glen W. Shaffer (gunner)


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## Lucky13 (Oct 19, 2013)

PFC Layne Nordstrom


Service Number:*301383

Birth and Early Life:
Clarence Layne Nordstrom was born in Alberta, Canada on January 15, 1921. He and his parents emigrated to the United States and settled in Fairview, Utah.

Enlistment and Boot Camp:
Upon his enlistment in Salt Lake City on September 17, 1940, Nordstrom dropped his given first name and was known by Layne. He attended boot camp and Sea School in San Diego, and was assigned to*the Marine detachment aboard the carrier*USS Lexington*in 1941.

Wartime Service:
Nordstrom was promoted to Private First Class in 1941; he and his carrier toured around the Pacific and were thankfully out at sea when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. They would become some of the first Americans to take the fight to the Japanese in the battle of the Coral Sea in May, 1942.

Date Of Loss:
Layne Nordstom heard the call to General Quarters early in the morning of May 8, 1942; he was at his position as a second loader for Gun #6, #2 Antiaircraft Battery before 0600, and watched the carrier’s air group take off for another strike at the Japanese fleet.

At around 1100 hours, the Marines on the antiaircraft batteries were warned that many enemy aircraft were approaching. The Japanese were soon in range; every gun on the*Lexington*began spitting fire, and the big carrier began weaving and turning in evasive maneuvers. They had no luck; at approximately 1125, following two torpedo strikes, a bomb struck the flight deck near Gun #6, penetrated an ammunition ready locker, and set off the gunpowder stored there. The resulting explosion destroyed Gun #6, killed or wounded the entire crew, and caused havoc with nearby Gun #4.






Of the 30 members of the gunnery detachment lost in the sinking of the*Lexington,*21 were from the Marine detachment.

PFC Nordstrom was lost at sea. He would be commended with seventeen other men in an official dispatch:

They remained at their posts efficiently performing assigned duties during strafing, explosions of torpedoes in the near vicinity of the battery, and after an aerial bomb had exploded and fired a locker of heavy ammunition at the battery. They extinguished the fire, policed the battery and readied the only remaining serviceable gun for further defense of the ship. As a result of their actions, they efficiently assisted in the defense of LEXINGTON by fast, accurate fire under extremely difficult circumstances.





Ogden Utah Standard Examiner August 14, 1942

Next Of Kin:
Parents, Mr. Mrs. Martin Nordstrom

Status Of Remains:
Lost at sea.

Memorial:
Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Philippines.

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## Bretzko (Feb 2, 2022)

Lucky13 said:


> ...when you're not looking for anything particular, you find things! Nordstrom, part of my family, relatives etc...different 'clans' if you like.
> Dads cousin in Canada, Nordstrom...
> Anyway, found this...
> 
> ...


Hello, I'm replying because I am wondering if you are talking about Lloyd Nordstrom the Purple Heart recipeint and my grandfather. He was a belly gunner and I'm trying to research him but many records have been lost.


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## Lucky13 (Feb 3, 2022)

Bretzko said:


> Hello, I'm replying because I am wondering if you are talking about Lloyd Nordstrom the Purple Heart recipeint and my grandfather. He was a belly gunner and I'm trying to research him but many records have been lost.



Hi there....

I wish I knew, it could be him....
My dad's uncle moved to Canada in the early 1920's, Andrew Napoleon Nordström, so I find everything and anything Nordström related interesting....
Got in touch with a few relatives in Canada, thanks to FB of all places! 😳😲😆😂

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## Bretzko (Feb 3, 2022)

Lucky13 said:


> Hi there....
> 
> I wish I knew, it could be him....
> My dad's uncle moved to Canada in the early 1920's, Andrew Napoleon Nordström, so I find everything and anything Nordström related interesting....
> Got in touch with a few relatives in Canada, thanks to FB of all places! 😳😲😆😂


Oh ok thanks for the reply. My grandfather flew 21 missions which was considered very very rare and he was shot down over enemy lines. He received many medals including a Purple Heart for saving a wounded airmen stuck in a section of his plane. He was a bonafide war hero and although I've never met him the stories survived by my family and limited documents indicate the hero he was! Thank you for the info! Sucks so much of the history has been lost.


Here are some photos. Lloyd Nordstrom is pictured bottom left with a dog on his shoulder and in the second photo he is the 3rd from the left.

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## Snautzer01 (Feb 3, 2022)

What theatre was he in? Wich BG?


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