Tarawa, and Adolph Norvik.

[JFP54]

In 1993 Adolph Norvik, also known as "Swede" or "Red" Norvik, came to our house for a visit. He brought with him a portrait that my father had sketched fifty years earlier aboard the USS Zeilin. My father and Norvik talked in private for about an hour. After he left, my father quietly told me that Norvik had a breakdown on Tarawa and that they had to carry him off the island.

Sherrod's book on Tarawa makes frequent mention of Norvik at various places. Some scenes describe him in battle. Others describe his actions aboard the USS Zeilin as it steamed toward Betio. It was during this time that my father sketched Norvik. When the word had gotten around ship that he was an artist, Norvik and some of the other officers called him topside to sketch their portraits. My father said that in return, he was given "a cold drink of water." That didn't sound like much to me, but he said that he was glad to have it. Below are a few lines from Sherrod's book (pages 38-39) describing this time aboard ship.

 

The one consuming passion of the Marines seemed to be letter writing, as my roomates, the junior officers who had to censor the letters, testified frequently and sometimes profanely. Lieutenant Adolph ("Suede") Norvik, the battalion staff officer charged with mail censorship, spent some eight hours a day reading letters, increased to twelve hours as the ship neared Betio. Finally, he had to call on other officers to help, as the mail collector brought in big bags almost hourly and emptied them in the big desk drawers. "I wouldn't mind so much," Norvik cried out, "IF that damned corporal didn't write five identical letters to five different girls every day."

 

Before Norvik left our hose I grabbed my 4 x 5 view camera and made a copy of the drawing to keep with my dad's things from the war. Hope you enjoy it.

 

JFP

[doyler]

Great story and super art work.

[ViewfinderGyrene]

Amazing, and a beautiful sketch! Is Norvik still with us?

 

~VFG

[tarbridge]

Thanks for the story...the image and especially the insight.

[katieony]

A very interesting story. Your father was definitely a talented artist!

[JFP54]

I believe that Norvik died around 2001, but I am not sure. Sometime around the year 2007 I approached the family and asked his son about the drawing. He claimed to have no knowledge of its whereabouts. Keep your eyes peeled. Maybe someone will get lucky.

[Greg norvik]

I’m trying to find Pollards daughter or son, who ever did the note above. I am the son of Adolph Norvik who did a sketch of my father at Tarawa.