Thursday, August 6, 2009

U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA)
Floor Statement Honoring Frank Norton
Remarks as Delivered on the Senate Floor

Mr. President, I am honored to rise with Senator Chambliss to pay tribute to a great Georgian and a great friend to the United States of America and a great veteran of the U.S. Army.

COL Frank Norton was quite an extraordinary man. As Senator Chambliss mentioned, upon graduation he went to Vietnam, and in Vietnam he took one of the most dangerous missions of all and did it superbly. He was decorated nine times. He returned here and throughout his career served in the Congress, the Senate, and served the people of the United States in many ways.

Frank Norton is a very unique individual. When he left military service and left service to the House and Senate liaison committees, he formed a partnership with his old friend Bob Hurt from Georgia. They formed a firm called Hurt and Norton, and they were quite a team; always jovial, always hard working, always on target, always delivering for their clients, and their clients were always the State of Georgia.

Our biggest economic asset in Georgia is our port of Savannah, and they represented the port. Our coastline is one of the most valuable areas of Georgia, and they represented our coastline. And most importantly of all, in the critical days of Fort Stewart, they represented Fort Stewart and the Hinesville community to see to it that the needs of our soldiers were met and the needs of the city of Hinesville, which hosted the soldiers, were met as well.

Frank died on the tennis court with his young son Lee. Tonight I send my regrets to his wife Carol, to Lee, and to all his family. But I also send my praise, my praise for a great Georgian, a great American, who sacrificed in so many ways for this country. May he now rest in peace looking down on all of us from heaven.