May 9, 1918 – June 9, 1943
We never forgot.
Born in Cincinnati, Norton Vernon “Norty” Retzsch was the son of Albert and Mattie Retzsch.
He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on September 3, 1941, and joined Company C, 1st Marine Raider Battalion. On July 9, 1943, during the Battle of Enogai in the Solomon Islands, he was reported missing.
He was declared dead in 1944 and his remains non-recoverable in 1949.
In 2019, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) renewed the search for unaccounted personnel. Through forensic science and mitochondrial DNA analysis, Norty was identified on April 1, 2025.
Norton is finally coming home and will be laid to rest with Military Honors on April 13, 2026.
April 13, 2026 10am MST | Memorial Service livestream (LINK TBD)
April 13, 2026 12:00 pm MST | Commital Service with Military Honors livestream (LINK TBD)
What happened to Margaret?
What happened to Norton’s wife Margaret? She didn’t forget him, either.
Legacy of a Library Page
The legacy of a library page in the 1930s and 40s at Cincinnati’s most historic building.
KARE 11 News Story
On March 12, 2026, KARE 11’s Jennifer Hoff (KARE 11) reported on the story of identifying Norton through mitochondrial DNA analysis.
X-183 Oct. 19, 2020 Disinterment
Research find: Photos from the DPAA disinterment ceremony, Honolulu, Hawaii, Oct. 19, 2020, which included one set of Norton’s remains.
X-182 Jan. 30, 2019 (Philippines) DPAA Honorable Carry
Reseach find: Photos of the Honorable Carry ceremony when unidentified remains, including Norton’s (X-182), were returned to American soil on January 30, 2019.