Norman Thomas Hatch (March 2, 1921 – April 22, 2017) was a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps who filmed much of the combat footage used in the documentary film With the Marines at Tarawa.
Early life Hatch was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and grew up in nearby Gloucester.
Military service
In 1939, Hatch joined the Marine Corps. Some of his cine films are now online; see External Links (below).
In November 1943, he was part of the Battle of Tarawa, and waded ashore with other Marines. Hatch used a Bell & Howell Eyemo to film the invasion and the ensuing combat.
Civilian career After the war, Hatch worked for the U.S. Department of Defense as a civilian from 1946 until 1980. He later opened and ran a photo agency, Photo Press International, for 21 years.
References
External links
Norman Hatch oral history, Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress American Folklife Center Norman Hatch oral history, The National WWII Museum Norman Hatch: cine films and photos from New Zealand, 1943