Historian and author Don Bourgeois will share the gripping story of Oregonian Norm Harrison, a World War II veteran who kept his most haunting experiences in northern Italy a secret for decades. Night after night, he was plagued by the same chilling nightmare—an unblinking figure in an Army mess hall, a vision he feared revealing even to his wife, Italia. Only after her passing did he finally share the memories he had long suppressed.
Originally published in the Portland Tribune, Harrison’s story offers a powerful look at the lasting psychological toll of war. Now being considered for a film or limited series, this deeply personal account sheds light on the unseen battles many veterans face long after the fighting ends.
The Rotary Club of Wilsonville meets weekly Thursdays at noon to carry out its purpose of providing service and fellowship to members and the Wilsonville community. Guests are welcome. Lunch is available off the menu; please arrive and order by 11:45 a.m. if you are ordering lunch. For more information, email president@wilsonvillerotary.com.
Official bio:
Don Bourgeois was born in November 1944 in Illinois and raised in Iowa City, Iowa, where he attended University High School and the University of Iowa. He earned a BA in History in 1968.
After traveling in Europe, he attended Drake Law School and obtained his JD in 1972. That same year, he was sworn into the Iowa Bar and immediately left for Oregon, where he sat for the Oregon Bar.
Bourgeois worked as a public defender until 1975 before transitioning to insurance defense with various law firms. He joined the Washington Bar in 1987, and his last insurance-related position was as an in-house attorney for State Farm from 1991 to 2003. In 2006-2007, he served as an assistant attorney general for the Territory of Guam.
Despite a long career in law, his true passion has always been World War II history. He has traveled extensively, visiting dozens of historical sites worldwide. While based in Guam, he had the opportunity to set foot on Iwo Jima, Palau, Peleliu, the Philippines, Japan, Truk, Midway Atoll, Kwajalein, and Saipan, as well as Hawaii. His journeys have also taken him to numerous sites across Europe and North Africa. Documenting the experiences of the Greatest Generation has been a lifelong pursuit, and he considers it his duty to chronicle the stories of those who shared their memories with him.
Bourgeois has authored a series of articles for the Portland Tribune on various World War II topics, including the 80th anniversaries of key events and the service of local veterans who participated in them. To read his published articles, go to muckrack.com/donald-j-bourgeois.
He resides in Southwest Portland and has three children and one grandchild, all of whom live in the Pacific Northwest, including one in Wilsonville.
