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Justin Dean Norton grew up in Rainier, Washington and graduated with honors from Rainier High School in 2003. Justin joined the military in April 2003 as a 19D, Cavalry Scout. He attended Basic and Advanced Training at Ft Knox, Kentucky. He was then assigned to the Alpha Troop “Apaches”, 1-10 Cavalry, 4th Infantry Division out of Fort Hood, Texas. Justin was quickly promoted to SGT because of the high standards of excellence and leadership abilities he possessed. He deployed to Iraq in November 2005.
Justin was killed in action by an Improvised Explosive Device while on patrol in Baghdad, Iraq on June 24, 2006. Upon the death of our HERO, a scholarship fund was established in Justin’s name. To date over 130 scholarships have been awarded in his name. Gone But Not Forgotten
Justin was born on October 30th, 1984 and was raised as a Navy brat until 1992. It was during this time he was given his first set of dog tags (see picture). Justin was raised by his mother, Chris Warnock and her husband Gary in the small town of Rainier, Washington. Justin attended the schools there and graduated with honors in 2003 from Rainier High School. He was raised with strong roots of military service from his great grandparents, grandparents, uncles, aunts and now cousins he grew up with. Justin had always expressed going into the military since he was very young. He enlisted in the United States Army during his spring break of 2003 and after graduating he attended basic & advanced training in Ft Knox, Kentucky. Justin was then assigned to Alpha Troop “Apaches”, 1-10 Cavalry, 4th Infantry Division out of Fort Hood Texas where he was quickly promoted to SGT because of the high standards of excellence and leadership abilities he possessed. Justin deployed to Iraq in November 2005. When Justin was home on leave in February 2006, he and his mother, Chris, had a very difficult conversation about war, the dangers surrounding it and of course, the “what if”. It was actually a conversation that began earlier, before he went off to boot camp, but the final conversation occurred that February. Justin expressed if he did not return from the war, he wanted to be cremated and his remains placed in the Military Honor Wall at the cemetery where he worked and to also have a scholarship established in his name at Rainier High School. Justin was killed in action by an Improvised Explosive Device while on patrol in Baghdad, Iraq on June 24, 2006. Justin’s military awards and decorations include the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Combat Action Badge, and the Expert Rifle Marksmanship Badge. Since Justin’s death in 2006, 148 scholarships have been awarded in his name, totaling over $60,000. A website and Facebook page have been created in Justin’s memory; www.justinnorton.net and Facebook: In Memory of Justin Norton Justin is gone but will never be forgotten – his memory will live on Chris & Gary Warnock, Parents gcwarnock4@gmail.com