Evening star. [volume], November 18, 1956, Page 10, Image 179

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
NATO’S New Boss
By GERARD DECAUX
EVEN WHILE receiving his commission as a second lieutenant
In the Cavalry. Laurls "Larry” Norstad had his mind In the
clouds. Applying for pilot training Immediately upon graduation
from West Point In 1930, he joined that small group of dedicated
airmen who became the nucleus of future American alrpower.
Today, still looking much like a recruiting poster version of
a Jet pilot, the deceptively boyish 49-year-old general is about to
step into his biggest assignment as Supreme Commander of the
Armed Forces of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization when
that post Is vacated Tuesday by Gen Alfred M. Oruenther.
At Vaucresson, just a few miles from Paris, Gen. Norstad
lives in a charming villa with his wife Isabelle and his 18-year-old
daughter Kristin When he relaxes from his heavy schedule, the
general likes to shoot clay pigeons, Ash for trout or play with
his spaniel, Muggsy. A golfer, too, he tries to play as often as
he can. but usually has to settle for practice swings on his lawn.
Oen. Norstad was born March 24. 1907, In Minneapolis, the
son of a Lutheran minister, and attended high school in Red Wing,
Minn His first preference for a career was in law, but a chance
for a West Point appointment kindled a desire to take up soldiering.
He worked his way up through Air Corps assignments in Hawaii
and Europe. He served in North Africa during World War II
under his friend. Oen. Elsenhower. Later, he was in charge of
the Air Force planning that led to the most consequential aerial
operation of the war—the dropping of the first atomic bomb
on Japan
Rated by observers as possessing an “IBM brain" for his
wizardry at retaining in his head the vast number of details that
bog down complex military operations, Gen. Norstad has served
for the last three years as Air Deputy to Gen. Oruenther. A
strategist with atomic experience, he has helped shape atomic
thinking for NATO as well as building up its air base network
and communications and radar warning systems.
Air Force do not conceal their pleasure at Gen.
Norstad’s appointment, for It marks the first time a flyer has
been chosen to head combined Army, Navy and Air Forces of the
size NATO represents.
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Away from work. Hie general still has an interest in weapons, mainly the
automatics for clay pigeons Daughter Kristin examines one of the guns.
10
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A few miles from SHAPE headquorters in Paris, Gen. Lauris Norstad has a beau
tiful villa at Vaucresson. His wife and daughter greet him and MPs guard entrance.
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Metro Group Photo-
A famous painter by the name of Dwight D Eisenhower made this White
House seen* which hangs in the drowing room of the military chief.