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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:

Paul R. Nordstrom, born May 17, 1925 was the holder of a Commercial Pilots license at the age of seventeen. He joined the ERC (Enlisted Reserve Corp.) and flew for Northwest Airlines Incorporated (parent of today’s Northwest Airlines.).He flew in the Northern Division –headquarters was Edmonton, Alberta. They were contractors to the USAAF. At 18 in 1943 he received notice to report for aviation cadet training Wichita Falls, TX. A high School dropout he was honor student of his Sept. 7, 44 class (44H) at Lubbock, TX. Advanced training class with and academic score of 98.42. he was assigned to Liberal, Kansas for B-24 Training and sent to England (as an aircraft commander). A few months later he was sent stateside to Pratt, Kansas for B-29 training and sent to the Pacific. He participated in the occupation of Tokyo, Japan at the wars end.
Returning stateside he attended Gustave Adolphus College, St. Peter, MN for two years before being recalled to Davis Monthan AFB, Tucson, AZ where he was an air refueling pilot. While there he was sent to England to learn about the air refueling procedure of the British and report back to Boeing. Also while in Arizona he was assigned as the pilot of the B-29 Enola Gay for the MGM movie “Above and Beyond: the story of the bomb drop on Japan”. He left Arizona for Ellington AFB for the Air Training Command specializing in Primary Observer Pilot training graduating in May, 53 earning his Navigator Wings. On to Mather AFB where he earned his Radar wings and Pilot AOB.
At Castle AFB completing B-50 bomber aircrew familiarization course. B-47 transition phase of advanced fling and ABC weapons at McConnell AFB completed July 1954 and was Aircraft Commander B-47 330th Bomb Squadron, Castle AFB, CA.
Completed Weapons Delivery, Laurie AFB, CO Nov. 55.
B-52 Bomber Familiarization, Castle AFB, CA Feb. 57
B-52 Combat Crew Training, Castle AF, CA Mar, 57
Paul was assigned Aircraft Commander, instructor at Fairchild AFB, Spokane, WA. After retirement, continued as instructor and instrument checkout pilot and head of quality control. Had 17 years at Strategic Air Command and a total of 22 and ½ years in service with the rank of Major, regular Air Force and as a Command Pilot. As a member of SAC:
Participated in International Competitions;
Taught RAF crews SAC procedures;
Flew the RS71 Blackbird at Beale, AFB;
Boeing Safety Officer;
Flew for Air America;
With Charles Lindberg inspected runways for jet aircraft safety.