Mr. Waddill was born and reared at Gatesville, Texas in Coryell County.

Like many of his generation, he was called to and served with distinction in World War II. He was a Messenger and Driver for General Omar Bradley in the 1^st Army. Unlike most in his generation, he found himself in the thick of the action for his entire tour of duty. Norris was in the first wave of infantry to land on Omaha Beach, First Army, CORPS V, 1st Infantry, 56th Signal Company. In fact, he was in the third jeep to go ashore.

Once the beach head had a tentative hold, Norris was ordered to personally deliver a message to the British Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery. When he asked where he could find Monty, his commanding officer pointed left and said over there. After a harrowing 3 to 5 mile drive down the Normandy shore, Norris delivered the message. This was repeated countless times over the next 11 months to General Bradley, General Patton, General De Gaulle, Field Marshall Montgomery, Marshall Tito, and many others.

At 9:00 p.m. on D-Day, Norris drove a news reporter up to the main radio truck so that he could give his report on D-Day. Norris was not allowed to park where he dropped off the reporter. He drove around back and parked his jeep under some trees. Wanting to hear the report, he hurried back to the radio truck across the moon lit opening only to hear a bullet whiz by his head and then the crack of a Mauser rifle. Fortunately the German sniper missed his mark and Norris was able to hear the reporter's historic report from the Normandy Coast on D-Day. I believe the reporter was Charles Collingwood, but that investigation is another story.

Mr. Waddill served through Normandy, the Hedge Rows, the Liberation of Paris, the Battle of the Bulge, through Germany, and into Czechoslovakia. Norris put nearly 30,000 miles on his jeep from D-Day (6 June, 1944) to VE-Day (7 May, 1945). Many times in, the fog of war, the front lines are really not known. Norris found himself on the wrong side of that line on more than one occasion. One time he drove past a squad of German solders marching down the road in the opposite direction. Both sides were so stunned that neither got a shot off.

Mr. Waddill received 5 Campaign Stars: Normandy (with bronze arrowhead for being in the fist waves at Omaha Beach), Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, and Central Europe. In 1945 Corporal Norris Waddill received the Bronze Star for Meritorious Achievement and Conduct.

Mr. Waddill began his oilfield career as a Wireline Operator in 1951. He was promoted to Perforating Engineer in 1952, Logging and Perforating Engineer in 1957, and then Production Logging Engineer in 1964.

In 1983, Great Guns Wireline published 40,000 copies of a book authored by Mr. Waddill titled, "Production Logging Interpretation Techniques." The book was such a success that the publisher authorized a second printing of 20,000 copies. This title is still sought after today by people in the industry.

My first experience to work with Mr. Waddill was on a location near Sydney, Montana in 1993. We were to run a memory log on coil tubing in a horizontal producer. The weather was miserably cold. The high temperature that day was 0°F. Everyone's level of frustration grew as the cold played havoc with all systems, mechanical and electrical. Mr. Waddill's suggestions, calm demeanor, and self evident knowledge soon made him the de facto, "Engineer In Charge". He helped the company man, service rig, coil tubing unit, and I get the equipment online, our focus set, and go forward with a successful test.

I would consider myself fortunate had that been my only experience with Mr. Waddill. On that one, bitterly cold day, my outlook on work and leadership were changed. We are so fortunate to have such a mentor in our company. My words can not express the value and benefits he brings to all of us individually, and to Madden Systems as a whole.

On the lighter side, Mr. Waddill's energy and longevity have created something of a problem here at Madden Systems. We do not like to create policies that restrict or limit our employees. Unfortunately, Mr. Madden had to inform Norris that he will be asked to retire when we throw his 100th birthday party. We'll probably have some consulting work for him though.