Michelle Norris
Encyclopedia
Michelle Suzanne Claire “Chuck” Norris MC
, RAMC
is a British lance corporal and medic
noted for heroism in the 2003 Iraq conflict.
, West Midlands
, England
.
On June 11, 2006, whilst a private serving as a Medical Orderly attached to the 1st Battalion
Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment
, Norris (then aged 19) jumped out of her Warrior
Patrol vehicle and climbed up the side of it to rescue the vehicle commander, Colour Sergeant
Ian Page, who had been shot in the mouth, all while being heavily fired upon by snipers at night. One bullet hit her rucksack as she climbed the vehicle. She then helped drag the sergeant back into the vehicle while still being fired upon. Her commanding officer
recommended that she receive a medal for her bravery, and the award of the Military Cross
was gazetted
on 15 December 2006. She is the first woman to be awarded that decoration. She received the decoration from Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace
on 21 March 2007.
Norris and Page were evacuated by a British Lynx helicopter, which was being flown by Major
William Chesarek
USMC
(then a Captain) as the result of an officer exchange programme. He was subsequently awarded the British Distinguished Flying Cross
as a result of his actions on this occasion, receiving the award at the same time Norris received her Military Cross.
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
, RAMC
Royal Army Medical Corps
The Royal Army Medical Corps is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all British Army personnel and their families in war and in peace...
is a British lance corporal and medic
Combat Medical Technician
A Combat Medical Technician CMT is a soldier with a specialist military trade within the Royal Army Medical Corps of the British Army and the Royal Air Force.-Role:The fully trained Combat Medical Technician is capable of:...
noted for heroism in the 2003 Iraq conflict.
Early life
Norris was born at StourbridgeStourbridge
Stourbridge is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the West Midlands of England. Historically part of Worcestershire, Stourbridge was a centre of glass making, and today includes the suburbs of Amblecote, Lye, Norton, Oldswinford, Pedmore, Wollaston, Wollescote and Wordsley The...
, West Midlands
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Military career
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment
Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment
"PWRR" redirects here. For the railroad with these reporting marks, see Portland and Western Railroad.The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment is the senior English line infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Queen's Division...
, Norris (then aged 19) jumped out of her Warrior
Warrior Tracked Armoured Vehicle
The Warrior tracked vehicle family is a series of British armoured vehicles, originally developed to replace the older FV430 series of armoured vehicles. The Warrior started life as the MCV-80 project that was first broached in the 1970s, GKN Sankey/Defence winning the production contract in 1980....
Patrol vehicle and climbed up the side of it to rescue the vehicle commander, Colour Sergeant
Colour Sergeant
Colour sergeant or colour serjeant is a non-commissioned title in the Royal Marines and infantry regiments of the British Army, ranking above sergeant and below warrant officer class 2....
Ian Page, who had been shot in the mouth, all while being heavily fired upon by snipers at night. One bullet hit her rucksack as she climbed the vehicle. She then helped drag the sergeant back into the vehicle while still being fired upon. Her commanding officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
recommended that she receive a medal for her bravery, and the award of the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
was gazetted
London Gazette
The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...
on 15 December 2006. She is the first woman to be awarded that decoration. She received the decoration from Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
on 21 March 2007.
Norris and Page were evacuated by a British Lynx helicopter, which was being flown by Major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
William Chesarek
William Chesarek
William David Chesarek Jr., DFC of Temecula, California is an Officer of the United States Marine Corps. As of August 23, 2011 he holds the rank of Major.-Actions in Iraq:...
USMC
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
(then a Captain) as the result of an officer exchange programme. He was subsequently awarded the British Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
as a result of his actions on this occasion, receiving the award at the same time Norris received her Military Cross.