Back to Chapter Officers Page

Email: cnoren@earthlink.net

Colonel Noren was born on August 27, 1937 in Mount Vernon, Illinois and graduated from Mount Vernon Township High School in 1954. He attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois graduating with a BA in Geology in June 1958. Upon graduation he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Regular Air Force and entered Undergraduate Pilot Training in October 1958. He was awarded his pilot wings in October 1960 and was assigned to fly C-124 Globemasters at Dover AFB, Delaware. He was destined to fly transport type aircraft for the duration of his career.

In 1962 his first overseas assignment was to Anderson AFB, Guam where he was a pilot in Air Rescue Service flying specially equipped HC-54 aircraft. He returned to Scott AFB, Illinois in 1964 and flew Special Air Mission VC-54’s at HQ Military Airlift Command where he transported senior commanders and staff on worldwide VIP missions.

Colonel Noren entered Ohio State University in June 1966 as a graduate student in Geodetic Science under the AFIT program. He graduated from OSU in 1968 and was sent to Vietnam to fly C-7A Caribou aircraft at Cam Ranh Bay. While at Cam Ranh he flew 960 hours of combat time delivering supplies to Special Forces bases throughout II, III and IV Corps.

The decade of the 70’s saw Colonel Noren first at Forbes AFB, Kansas where he was a member of Aerospace Cartographic and Geodetic Service. In 1972 he moved to Scott AFB again and was assigned to HQ Air Weather Service. In 1974 he was transferred to Charleston AFB, South Carolina where he was a C-141 pilot in the 76th Military Airlift Squadron. While assigned there he held positions of Chief Pilot, Flight Commander, Assistant Operations Officer and Squadron Commander. As an aircrew member, Colonel Noren was qualified as Flight Examiner Aircraft Commander and Select Lead Combat Airdrop Pilot and accumulated over 2100 flying hours in the C-141. He was promoted to Colonel in 1979 and served briefly as the Assistant Deputy Commander for Operations, 437 Military Airlift Wing.

In June 1979 Colonel Noren was assigned to Howard AFB, Panama as Commander, 1300 Military Airlift Squadron, with additional responsibilities as Commander, Airlift Forces Latin America, Military Airlift Command Liaison Officer to CINCUSSOUTHCOM, and Senior MAC Representative in Latin America. He directed numerous high priority airlift operations for such diverse purposes as natural disasters, complex contingency missions, and support to national and international crises throughout the theater.

In 1982 Colonel Noren was assigned to the Defense Mapping Agency and first served at the DMA Aerospace Center in St. Louis, Missouri where he was the Assistant Director for Plans, Production and Operations. In 1985 he transferred to HQ Defense Mapping Agency at the Naval Observatory in Washington, DC. In this capacity he served as the Director of the Standard Products Division for the Plans and Requirements Directorate.

Colonel Noren’s final active duty assignment was at McGuire AFB, New Jersey in August 1986 where he was the Director of Aircrew Standardization and Evaluation for HQ 21st Air Force, one of two major air forces in the Military Airlift Command. He retired on November 1, 1988.

During his long career Colonel Noren attained some 9000 hours of flying time in 20 different transport aircraft. Among his many awards and decorations are the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Combat Readiness Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal with two Devices, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm Device, and Viet Nam Service Medal with four Battle Stars. His military career took him to every continent except Anarctica and he has visited more than 160 different countries and islands.

Following retirement from the Air Force Colonel Noren was employed by Hughes Aircraft Company as a Manager in the C-141 Aircrew Training System (ATS). He served as the Site Manager at Charleston in 1989 and was responsible for hiring the initial cadre of instructors and establishing the office. A year later he was transferred to the corporate office in Arlington, Texas where he was the Operations Manager for the ATS. In this capacity he was responsible for contract training at six active Air Force bases and six Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve sites. In 1998 he returned to Charleston and became a volunteer tour guide at Middleton Place Plantation. In 1999 he became the Manager of Stableyards Programs and African-American History.

He is an active member of many organizations including the Southern Illinois University Alumni Association, the Air Force Association, the Photomapper’s Association, Military Officers Association of America, The Airlift-Tanker Association, the Order of Daedalians, and the C-7A Caribou Association.

Colonel Noren is married to the former Sandra Turbeville of North Charleston. They reside in Coosaw Creek where he is the chairman of the Landscape Committee. They have three adult children and five grandchildren.