Norman Cota
| Norman Cota, Sr. | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Nickname(s) | "Dutch" |
| Born |
May 30, 1893 Chelsea, Massachusetts, United States |
| Died | October 4, 1971 (aged 78) Wichita, Kansas, United States |
| Allegiance |
 United States
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Army
|
| Years of service | 1917–1946 |
| Rank |
 Major General
|
| Service number | O-5284 |
| Unit |
 Infantry Branch
|
| Commands held | 28th Infantry Division |
| Battles/wars |
World War I World War II |
| Awards |
Distinguished Service Cross Army Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star (2) Legion of Merit (2) Bronze Star (2) Purple Heart |
Major General Norman Daniel "Dutch" Cota, Sr. (May 30, 1893 – October 4, 1971) was a senior United States Army officer who fought during World War II. Cota was heavily involved in the planning and execution of the Allied invasion of Normandy, in June 1944, codenamed Operation Neptune, and the subsequent Battle of Normandy. He is famous for rallying demoralized troops on Omaha Beach on D-Day, by engaging in combat with them and personally leading their first successful breakout, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions there.
Cota was born in Chelsea, Massachusetts, the son of George William Cota, a former railroad telegrapher (later a merchant), and Jessie H. Mason, a school teacher. He attended Worcester Academy for three years beginning in the fall of 1910. While playing football there, his teammates nicknamed him "Dutch," and the name stuck with him, although its origins remained unclear.
In June 1913, he was accepted to the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point, New York. He and the rest of his class graduated seven weeks ahead of schedule, on April 20, 1917, because of the American entry into World War I. Among his classmates included Matthew Ridgway, J. Lawton Collins, William W. Eagles, Mark W. Clark, Ernest N. Harmon, Laurence B. Keiser, Bryant Moore, Charles H. Gerhardt, Frederick Augustus Irving, William C. McMahon and William Kelly Harrison, Jr.. Like Cota, all of these men would become general officers.
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