NORMAN THOMAS HATCH (Age 96)
Major, USMC (Ret.)
Of Alexandria, VA, died April 22, 2017.
Maj. Hatch was born March 2, 1921 in Boston, Massachusetts. He was the son of Irving Norman Hatch and Ruth Frances Colby. He grew up in Gloucester, Mass. and graduated from Gloucester High School.
After graduation he joined the Marine Corps in 1939, becoming a combat cinematographer and photographic officer for the 2nd and 5th Marine divisions on Tarawa and Iwo Jima respectively. He also participated in the occupation of Japan at the war's end. As the primary combat cinematograph on Tarawa, his footage helped win the 1944 Academy Award for Most Outstanding Documentary Short Film "With the Marines at Tarawa" for the Marine Corps.
After the war, he went to work as a civilian in the Department of Defense. At the time of his retirement from the DoD, he was the senior audio visual advisor to the Assistant Secretary of Defense.
After leaving the government, he opened Photo Press International, Ltd, producing editorial and commercial photography for foreign publishers for over 21 years. After closing the office, he continued to provide information/materials to anyone interested in WWII. In 2009-10, he collaborated with author Charles Jones to write the book "War Shots," his story as a WWII cinematographer.
He is survived by his wife of 74 years, Lois Rousseau Hatch, his son N. Thomas Hatch, Jr. of Alexandria, and his daughter, Colby Gibbs Hatch of Alexandria. His younger brother, Julian Hawthorne Hatch preceded him in death.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Marine Corps Museum in Quantico, VA, or the .
Visitation will be held at Everly-Wheatley Funeral home, 1500 W. Braddock Rd., Alexandria, VA from 5 to 8 p.m. on Monday, May 1 and Tuesday, May 2. Interment will be at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.
Published in The Washington Post from Apr. 29 to May 1, 2017
NORMAN THOMAS HATCH (Age 96)
Major, USMC (Ret.)
Of Alexandria, VA, died April 22, 2017.
Maj. Hatch was born March 2, 1921 in Boston, Massachusetts. He was the son of Irving Norman Hatch and Ruth Frances Colby. He grew up in Gloucester, Mass. and graduated from Gloucester High School.
After graduation he joined the Marine Corps in 1939, becoming a combat cinematographer and photographic officer for the 2nd and 5th Marine divisions on Tarawa and Iwo Jima respectively. He also participated in the occupation of Japan at the war's end. As the primary combat cinematograph on Tarawa, his footage helped win the 1944 Academy Award for Most Outstanding Documentary Short Film "With the Marines at Tarawa" for the Marine Corps.
After the war, he went to work as a civilian in the Department of Defense. At the time of his retirement from the DoD, he was the senior audio visual advisor to the Assistant Secretary of Defense.
After leaving the government, he opened Photo Press International, Ltd, producing editorial and commercial photography for foreign publishers for over 21 years. After closing the office, he continued to provide information/materials to anyone interested in WWII. In 2009-10, he collaborated with author Charles Jones to write the book "War Shots," his story as a WWII cinematographer.
He is survived by his wife of 74 years, Lois Rousseau Hatch, his son N. Thomas Hatch, Jr. of Alexandria, and his daughter, Colby Gibbs Hatch of Alexandria. His younger brother, Julian Hawthorne Hatch preceded him in death.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Marine Corps Museum in Quantico, VA, or the .
Visitation will be held at Everly-Wheatley Funeral home, 1500 W. Braddock Rd., Alexandria, VA from 5 to 8 p.m. on Monday, May 1 and Tuesday, May 2. Interment will be at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.
Published in The Washington Post from Apr. 29 to May 1, 2017
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