Garrison Norton
Encyclopedia
Garrison Norton was Assistant Secretary of the Navy (AIR)
from 1956 to 1959.
, the son of Charles Dyer Norton and the former Katherine McKim Garrison. He was raised in Washington, D. C. and Manhattan
and attended the Groton School
. He was educated at Harvard College
, receiving a bachelor's degree
cum laude in 1923.
After college, Norton joined the accounting
firm of Arthur Young & Company. During this period, Norton became interested in aviation and received his Private Pilot License
. This brought him in contact with several figures in the aviation industry
, some of whom became his clients. He was made a partner
of Arthur Young & Company in 1932.
Norton first joined the government in 1934, when he became deputy general manager of the Home Owners' Loan Corporation
. He later went on to serve as assistant to the chairman of the Civil Aeronautics Authority and director of the Office of Transport and Communications in the State Department
.
With the outbreak of World War II
, Norton enlisted in the United States Navy
, ultimately attaining the rank of captain
by the war's end in 1945.
In 1947, President of the United States
Harry S. Truman
nominated Norton as an Assistant Secretary of State
with responsibility for international transportation and communications. He held this office until 1949.
In the early 1950s, he worked for the United States Secretary of the Air Force
in research and development.
In 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower
nominated Norton as Assistant Secretary of the Navy (AIR)
and he would serve in this office from July 7, 1956 until February 5, 1959. His primary goal as Assistant Secretary of the Navy (AIR) was with expanding the Navy's research and development capabilities. He was the last Assistant Secretary of the Navy (AIR), as the post was redesignated Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research and Development) in 1959.
Norton left government in 1959, becoming president of the Institute for Defense Analyses
until his retirement in the 1960s. He also went on to serve as chairman of the Carnegie Institution for Science
.
He died on September 9, 1995 at the age of 94 in his home in Washington, D. C.
Assistant Secretary of the Navy (AIR)
The Assistant Secretary of the Navy was a civilian office of the United States Department of the Navy. The Assistant Secretary of the Navy initially reported to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy and later to the Under Secretary of the Navy....
from 1956 to 1959.
Biography
Garrison Norton was born in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, the son of Charles Dyer Norton and the former Katherine McKim Garrison. He was raised in Washington, D. C. and Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
and attended the Groton School
Groton School
Groton School is a private, Episcopal, college preparatory boarding school located in Groton, Massachusetts, U.S. It enrolls approximately 375 boys and girls, from the eighth through twelfth grades...
. He was educated at Harvard College
Harvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
, receiving a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
cum laude in 1923.
After college, Norton joined the accounting
Accountancy
Accountancy is the process of communicating financial information about a business entity to users such as shareholders and managers. The communication is generally in the form of financial statements that show in money terms the economic resources under the control of management; the art lies in...
firm of Arthur Young & Company. During this period, Norton became interested in aviation and received his Private Pilot License
Private Pilot License
A Private Pilot License or, in the United States of America, a Private Pilot Certificate, is a license that permits the holder to act as the pilot of an aircraft privately . The requirements to obtain the license are determined by the International Civil Aviation Authority , but the actual...
. This brought him in contact with several figures in the aviation industry
Aircraft industry
The aircraft industry is the industry supporting aviation by building aircraft and manufacturing aircraft parts for their maintenance. This includes aircraft and parts used for civil aviation and military aviation. Most production is done pursuant to type certificates and Defense Standards issued...
, some of whom became his clients. He was made a partner
Partner (business rank)
A partner in a law firm, accounting firm, consulting firm, or financial firm is a highly ranked position. Originally, these businesses were set up as legal partnerships in which the partners were entitled to a share of the profits of the enterprise. The name has remained even though many of these...
of Arthur Young & Company in 1932.
Norton first joined the government in 1934, when he became deputy general manager of the Home Owners' Loan Corporation
Home Owners' Loan Corporation
The Home Owners' Loan Corporation was a New Deal agency established in 1933 by the Home Owners' Loan Corporation Act under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Its purpose was to refinance home mortgages currently in default to prevent foreclosure. This was accomplished by selling bonds to lenders in...
. He later went on to serve as assistant to the chairman of the Civil Aeronautics Authority and director of the Office of Transport and Communications in the State Department
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
.
With the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Norton enlisted in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, ultimately attaining the rank of captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
by the war's end in 1945.
In 1947, President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
nominated Norton as an Assistant Secretary of State
United States Assistant Secretary of State
In modern times, Assistant Secretary of State is a title used for many executive positions in the United States State Department. A set of six Assistant Secretaries reporting to the Under Secretary for Political Affairs manage diplomatic missions within their designated geographic regions, plus one...
with responsibility for international transportation and communications. He held this office until 1949.
In the early 1950s, he worked for the United States Secretary of the Air Force
United States Secretary of the Air Force
The Secretary of the Air Force is the Head of the Department of the Air Force, a component organization within the Department of Defense of the United States of America. The Secretary of the Air Force is appointed from civilian life by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate...
in research and development.
In 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
nominated Norton as Assistant Secretary of the Navy (AIR)
Assistant Secretary of the Navy (AIR)
The Assistant Secretary of the Navy was a civilian office of the United States Department of the Navy. The Assistant Secretary of the Navy initially reported to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy and later to the Under Secretary of the Navy....
and he would serve in this office from July 7, 1956 until February 5, 1959. His primary goal as Assistant Secretary of the Navy (AIR) was with expanding the Navy's research and development capabilities. He was the last Assistant Secretary of the Navy (AIR), as the post was redesignated Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research and Development) in 1959.
Norton left government in 1959, becoming president of the Institute for Defense Analyses
Institute for Defense Analyses
The Institute for Defense Analyses is a non-profit corporation that administers three federally funded research and development centers to assist the United States government in addressing important national security issues, particularly those requiring scientific and technical expertise...
until his retirement in the 1960s. He also went on to serve as chairman of the Carnegie Institution for Science
Carnegie Institution for Science
The Carnegie Institution for Science is an organization in the United States established to support scientific research....
.
He died on September 9, 1995 at the age of 94 in his home in Washington, D. C.