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Norman Hatch

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Major

Norman Thomas Hatch
Norman Hatch at the Marine Corps War Memorial following a flag raising ceremony commemorating the anniversary of the flag-raising at Iwo Jima (February 23, 2009)
Born(1921-03-02)March 2, 1921
Boston, Massachusetts
DiedApril 2, 2017(2017-04-02) (aged 96)
Alexandria, Virginia
Buried
Service / branchUnited States Marine Corps
Years of service1939–1946
RankMajor
Battles / warsWorld War II
Other workU.S. Department of Defense (1946–1980)

Norman Thomas Hatch (March 2, 1921 – April 22, 2017) was a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps who filmed much of the combat footage used in the documentary film With the Marines at Tarawa.[2]

Early life

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Hatch was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and grew up in nearby Gloucester.[2][3]

Military service

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Hatch (center) photographing the action during the Battle of Tarawa in 1943

In 1939, Hatch joined the Marine Corps. Some of his cine films are now online; see External Links (below).

In November 1943, he was part of the Battle of Tarawa, and waded ashore with other Marines. Hatch used a Bell & Howell Eyemo to film the invasion and the ensuing combat.[4]

Civilian career

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After the war, Hatch worked for the U.S. Department of Defense as a civilian from 1946 until 1980. He later opened and ran a photo agency, Photo Press International, for 21 years.

References

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  1. ^ Laubach, Dean (August 24, 2017). "A Hero's Farewell: Norm Hatch laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery". Alexandria Gazette Packet. Retrieved May 27, 2019.
  2. ^ a b Schudel, Matt (April 26, 2017). "Norman Hatch, Marine who captured heroism and horror on film, dies at 96". Washington Post. Retrieved May 27, 2019.
  3. ^ Bowman, Tom (March 21, 2010). "WWII Combat Cameraman: 'The Public Had To Know'". NPR. Retrieved May 27, 2019.
  4. ^ "Washington Journal: Victory Over Japan Anniversary". C-SPAN. August 15, 2005. Retrieved May 27, 2019.
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Norman Hatch: cine films and photos from New Zealand, 1943