Staff Sergeant Dr. Norman Leo Stock
U.S. Army Air
397th Bomb Group (M) 598th Bomb Squadron December 14th 1942 – October 31st 1945
Aug. 5th 2015
AseraCare of Johnstown honored a patient in his home, for his services in the US Air Corps. A wooden plaque, made by a fellow veteran, was presented to him, by our Executive Director, Danielle Cimba, his RN/CM Samantha Griffith & our Veteran volunteer Edward Mihalacki. Surrounded by family members, Doc opened up about his time in the Military, sharing stories about being a POW & recalling details, never shared before this with his family. He was touched, and honored by the gesture and recognition.
Doc was awarded multiple medals for his military service: The Auth AAF Air Crew Member Badge, Auth Ardennes Rhineland, Central Europe, Air Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern, the Purple Heart and the POW Medal. Doc finally received his POW Medal in 2005, after his grandson wrote to John Murtha.
Having our veteran volunteer visit with Doc meant the world to him and to his family. Ed (Veteran Volunteer) was able to extract stories from Doc that some of his family had never heard. Ed has given presentations to our staff, to help us better care for Veteran patients, teaching us how to ask about their service, i.e. “Where did you go to basic?” “What was your job?”… Veterans have very important and interesting stories to tell; they just need someone to listen. Doc passed away August 11, 2015 in the comfort of his home, surrounded by his family, with AseraCare Hospice.
