Norman Ellis Best was born in Edgecombe County on November 11, 1919, the eldest son to Luby M. Best (1889-1971) and Alice Summerlin Best (1887-1975). While Best is listed as a freshman in the 1937 Tecoan, he transferred to Wake Forest College and graduated in 1940. Still, ECTC never forgot Best: Jean Goggin’s “With the Armed Forces” column in the Teco Echo on March 15, 1945, included Best’s military address as one that readers had requested. Tragically, however, by that date, Best had been lost in action.
Best enlisted on June 28, 1941, in Seattle, Washington and was assigned to the 394th Infantry Regiment, 99th Infantry Division. He rose to the rank of staff Sergeant and fought in the Battle of the Bulge. Best, 25, was killed in action on March 3, 1945. He received the Purple Heart Medal in recognition of his sacrifice.
A gravestone at the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery and Memorial, Liège, Belgium, commemorates Best’s service. The 1946 Tecoan listed Best as one of ECTC’s alumni killed in action, and the 1953 dedication of Memorial Gymnasium honored him as one who had made the ultimate sacrifice for his country during WWII.
Sources:
- “Army-Navy Casualties.” News and Observer. April 3, 1945. P. 2.
- “Freshmen.” Tecoan. 1937. P. 122. https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/15342
- Goggin, Jean. “With The Armed Forces.” Teco Echo. March 15, 1945. P. 2. https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/37951
- “Grimaldi Leads Tar Heels to 79-66 Victory Over East Carolina: Bucs Handed First Defeat, Pirates Put Up Fight Against Southern Conference Team.” News and Observer. January 7, 1953. P. 17.
- “In Memory.” Tecoan. 1946. Unpaginated. https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/15351
- “Norman Ellis Best.” Howler. 1940. P. 62. https://lib.digitalnc.org/record/28669#?c=0&m=0&s=0&cv=65&r=0&xywh=-2026%2C-1%2C8920%2C3190
- “The Class of Forty.” Howler. 1939. P. 100.
Citation Information
Author: John A. Tucker, PhD
Date of Publication: 5/16/2022