T E X A R K A N A M A G A Z I N E
T E X A R K A N A M A G A Z I N E
General Carl Mundy, Commandant of the United States Marine Corp, with Norfleet’s wife Jamie who was seven months pregnant at the time of the Oklahoma City bombing
Norfleet’s injuries in the Oklahoma City bombing included the loss of his right eye, a concussion, a broken nose and many serious lacerations
eye and a severed artery in his left wrist, so he knew it was time to move. “Somebody had walked out of the building before me, and had left a blood trail. It was like a neon sign, a neon trail, right there on top of the dust and I followed the blood to the back of the building. Then, miracle of all miracles, all the stairs were intact at the back of the building,” Norfleet recalls. When he finally made it out of the building, into an ambulance and to St. Anthony’s Hospital, he had lost half of his blood volume and his blood pressure was 50/0. “If I had stayed in that building another five minutes, I wouldn’t be here today,” he said. Norfleet was taken into surgery upon his arrival to the hospital, but before he was wheeled back, he had the presence of mind to relay his phone number to a receiving nurse who wrote it on her arm. The hospital was able to contact his wife Jamie, who was seven months pregnant at the time and sitting at home, willing the phone to ring with information. “I sank to my knees when I learned there had been an explosion at the Murrah building,” said Jamie. “All I could do was lift my hands and pray. God! I’ll take him any way I can. No matter if he’s hurt or even maimed. The kids and I need him! Please Lord, let him be alive. I’m begging You.” She quickly got on the road toward Oklahoma City, and after the pair were reunited, a lifetime of healing could begin, beginning with Norfleet’s retirement from the Marines. In 1997, as a witness to Timothy McVeigh fleeing the scene, Norfleet
testified as a key witness in his trial. He testified again in both of Terry Nichols’ cases and thanks in part to Norfleet’s testimony, both men were convicted of this horrendous act of domestic terrorism that killed 168 victims, including 19 children and injured more than 600 others. For military families, it is not just the service member who is called to great sacrifice. “Jamie and I were married two months before I started The Basic School in Quantico, Virginia. Jamie was my partner through our entire Marine Corps career. She was there during the lonely nights I was on flight missions and deployed overseas. She was there raising our three children, mostly by herself. She was there during the anxious days I was in combat. She was there to hold our family together during the frightening day of April 19, the day of the Oklahoma City bombing and the ensuing days of recovery. The Marine Corps was as much her experience, trial and sense of accomplishment as it was mine. The Marine Corps didn’t affect our life, it was our life. Both of us are very proud of our accomplishments in the Marine Corps, but we’re glad the experience has come to an end.” This special family also includes three grown children, Matthew 31, Paul 28, and Morgan 26, who are all graduates of Texas High School. Norfleet earned a Computer Science degree from Oklahoma Baptist University and an MBA in International Business from the University of Phoenix. He continues his career as a Sales Engineer and Partner
with Testech, a Richardson, Texas based company which supplies electronic test and measurement equipment to industry- leading organizations across Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas. He joined this company in 2010 but has been selling test and measurement technology through other companies since 1995. “I’m a Partner at Testech and develop and sell integrated engineering test solutions for military programs like the F-35 Lightning II, F-22 Raptor, F-16 Viper, MV-22 Osprey and the new hypersonic missiles. For me, it was a natural progression [from military service] in several ways. As a Marine Aviator I was readily accepted in the F-35B and MV-22 programs since these are exclusively U.S. Marine Corps aircraft. Second, as a pilot, one of our primary skills is solving dynamic flight and mechanical problems at lightning-fast speeds. Since I was familiar with aircraft flight operations and systems, developing engineering test solutions for aircraft production and maintenance was an easy fit. As long as they’ll have me, I hope to stay engaged with the military aircraft programs which have given me a sense of accomplishment and pride in our country.” As empty nesters, the Norfleets are excited about more time together and time with their two grandsons. Norfleet is also a committed Sunday School teacher at First Baptist Church Moores Lane and looks forward to growing his ministry there because just like through his military service, Norfleet has set his sights on a higher purpose.
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C OMM U N I T Y & C U L T U R E
C OMM U N I T Y & C U L T U R E
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