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Contact Info
Home Town Kansas City, Kansas
Last Address Lane County, Oregon
Date of Passing Sep 25, 2013
Location of Interment Willamette National Cemetery (VA) - Portland, Oregon
He learned several jobs in several types of aircraft and spent 785 days as a POW.
His DFC citations:
Distinguished Flying Cross
Awarded for actions during the Vietnam War
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Major Norbert Anthony Gotner (AFSN: 0-3085196/0-58952), United States Air Force, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as an F-4D Weapons System Operator over Southeast Asia on 6 September 1970 On that date, Major Gotner flew deep into hostile territory to strike a newly discovered military structure and bunker complex. Hostile defenses fired at his aircraft in an attempt to discourage the attack, but the ground fire was successfully evaded and all of Major Gotner's ordnance impacted on target. The results of his accurate bombing attack were one military structure destroyed, one structure damaged, two bunkers destroyed and four bunkers uncovered. The professional competence, aerial skill and devotion to duty displayed by Major Gotner reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force. Action Date: September 6, 1970
Awarded for actions during the Vietnam War
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross to Major Norbert Anthony Gotner (AFSN: 0-3085196/0-58952), United States Air Force, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as an F-4D Weapons Systems Operator over Southeast Asia on 15 September 1970. On that date, he flew in the lead aircraft of a scrambled flight of two F-4Ds and struck an opposing armed force moving across hostile territory. His accurate bombing attacks into intense small arms fire caused numerous casualties and disrupted the movement of the hostile force. The professional competence, aerial skill, and devotion to duty displayed by Major Gotner reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force. Action Date: September 15, 1970
Throughout the summer and fall of 1970, USAF aircraft flew interdiction and close air support missions in Cambodia to help ensure that the major
towns and cities stayed in friendly hands. Gunships proved especially effective in defending Phnom Penh. the Cambodia: capital; the town of Kompong Chorn. 50 miles to the northeast; and Kompong Thom. about 65 miles north of the capital. On August 8 Cambodian troops, backed by USAF close air support, drove North Vietnamese forces from Sltoun, an important highway junction between Kornpong 1hom and Phnom Penh. Despite these efforts, Communist forces controlled about half of Cambodia by November and kept the highway closed between Phnom Penh and the seaport of Kompong Som, 100 miles to the southwest. The Cambodians had to resupply Phnom Penh and their troops by transporting goods up the Mekong River. and Allied aircraft escorted the river convoys to protect the ships from attack.
The chaotic military situation in Cambodia during 1970 closely resembled the one to the north in Laos. With the coming of another wet season. Laotian forces began 2 new offensives in an effort to wrest control of the Plain of Jars from the Pathet Lao and the North Vietnamese. 'l‘he first offensive occurred between August 2 and 23 and the second from August 31 to October 23. The Communist forces retreated slowly to the southeast rim of the plain. inflicting heavy losses on the Royal and irregular Laotian forces. During the Laotian offensives, the USAF provided close air support and continued to attack supply routes in both the northern and southern parts of the country.
In South Vietnam, the withdrawal of U.S. forces gained momentum. The USAF redeployed the 31st Tactical Fighter Wing to the United States in
September, 1970 and inactivated or redeployed several of its A-1, A-37, and F-105 squadrons. Meanwhile, on September 1, Gen. Lucius D. Clay. Ir.. assumed command of the Seventh Air Force. Six weeks later, on October 12, President Richard M. Nixon announced that the U.S. would withdraw 40,000 more troops from South Vietnam by December 1, 1970. leaving about 33S.(510 military personnel in the country. Subsequently, in November, the USAF redeployed 2 tactical reconnaissance squadrons from South Vietnam to the United States.
Whatever the rate of U.S. disengagement. intense fighting continued. The Allies mounted a helibome. multi-brigade operation between July 12 and August 5 to disrupt Communist transportation networks in the mountainous border area near the Kharn Due airstrip, only 55 miles southwest of Da Nang. Allied ground forces received extensive close air and airlift support from the Seventh Air Force. but reported few contacts with the enemy.
Later in the year, on November 21, the USAF and the U.S. Army attempted to rescue U.S. prisoners of war believed held at Son Tay, a
prison camp 70 miles northwest of Hanoi. Two C-130s led a rescue force of helicopters and A-1 aircraft from bases in Thailand to Son Tay,
while F-105Fs suppressed North Vietnamese surface-to-air missiles. The C-130s illuminated the prison compound and marked targets for the A-1s‘ suppressive fire while 1 helicopter crash landed in the compound and the rest landed outside. The raiders found no POWs and withdrew without loss of personnel, although the helicopter in the compound was blown up and 1 F-IO5F was destroyed by enemy fire.
A few hours after the Son Tay raid, some 200 U.S. tactical aircraft, supported by 50 other airplanes, bombed SAM sites, antiaircraft gunsites, and supply and transport facilities in North Vietnam near the Mu Gia and the Ban Karai Passes, and in the DMZ. Within a few days, on November 25, 1970, the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong delegation again boycotted the Paris peace negotiations.
