Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/638181
BILLTIERNAN—THEVIRGINIAN-PILOT Norwood Thomas holds up a photo of with Joyce Morris at his home in Virginia Beach, Va. The Associated Press NORFOLK,VA. A 93-year- old World War II veteran is embarking on a 10,500- mile journey to Australia to visit his wartime girl- friend after more than 70 years apart. It will take Norwood Thomas, who boarded a plane Sunday from Nor- folk with his son, two days to reach the country, where he will be reunited with Joyce Morris, The Virginian-Pilot reported. "I'd rather die traveling to Australia than live sit- ting around at home won- dering, 'What if?'" Thomas said. News media around the globe have printed or broadcast the story, which has gone viral online. "It's the craziest thing," Thomas said. "I can't be- lieve how interested all these people are." The two first met in London shortly before D- Day. Morris was a 17-year- old British girl, whom Thomas remembers as a "pretty little thing," and he was a 21-year-old para- trooper with the 101st Air- borne. "Joyce was special. The one that got away," Thomas said. "But after the war, my orders to go home came so quick there was no real chance to even say goodbye." Thomas, who hasn't seen Morris since 1945, has kept a photo of her ever since. After the war, the pair wrote letters to each other, and Thomas even asked Morris to come to Amer- ica and be his wife. But somehow Morris misun- derstood and thought he'd found someone else. She stopped writing. As time passed, the two went on with their sepa- rate lives. They both mar- ried other people, had careers and children. Thomas' wife died in 2001. Morris divorced her hus- band after 30 years. Last year, Morris asked one of her sons to look for Thomas on the Inter- net, where she found his name featured in The Vir- ginian-Pilot newspaper's D-Day series called "The Lucky Few." Thomas and Morris, who is now 88 and nearly blind, recently recon- nected via Skype. After their story went public, hundreds of people made donations to help fund Thomas' trip to Australia, and Air New Zealand ar- ranged the flight. "It's really touch- ing," Thomas' son, Steve Thomas, said of the dona- tions. "We want them to know it worked. He's go- ing." Norwood Thomas said he's excited to see Morris. "I'm just looking for- ward to seeing her smile," he said. "I have no idea if there'll still be romantic feelings. But at the very least, I'll get to spend time with an old friend. Just sit- ting and reminiscing will be wonderful." Ov er 7 0 ye ar s la te r, v et journeys to reunite with his wartime girlfriend WORLD WAR II By Josh Lederman and Ken Thomas The Associated Press MANCHESTER, N.H. En- couraged by Marco Rubio's stumbles, the Republicans' second-tier candidates are seeing fresh hope for sur- vival as they sprint to the finish line in New Hamp- shire. The Democrats' Clin- ton-Sanders duel is veering into gender politics. A day before the na- tion's first primary, Don- ald Trump ramped up his schedule in the state where he's poised to clinch his first victory Tuesday following a humbling second-place fin- ish in the Iowa caucuses. The pressure on, he waxed confident about his ability to win. Though Trump's GOP opponents were mainly focusing their attacks on each other, Trump and Bush pulled no punches in dueling television in- terviews. Bush, who has blasted Trump for using eminent domain in busi- ness deals, called Trump a "loser," while the billionaire businessman called Bush an "embarrassment to his family." "Jeb is having some kind of a breakdown, I think," Trump told CNN. "I think it's a very sad situation that's taking place." The Democratic race be- tween Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders swerved in a new direction af- ter a pair of prominent Clinton supporters railed against female voters who are backing Sanders de- spite the prospect of elect- ing the first female presi- dent. Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said over the weekend that there was "a special place in hell" for women who don't help women, while writer and famed feminist Gloria Steinem suggested women backing Sanders were doing so to meet boys. Steinem sought to stem the criticism she got, apol- ogizing in a Facebook post for suggesting young women weren't serious about their political views. Yet the dust-up spoke to the underlying concern among many Clinton backers that the former first lady isn't se- curing the levels of support among women her cam- paign had anticipated con- sidering the historic nature of her candidacy. Adding further fuel to the fracas was former Pres- ident Bill Clinton, who ear- lier accused Sanders' sup- porters of waging "pro- fane" and "sexist" attacks on his wife on the Inter- net. The former president took a softer tone Mon- day as the two Clintons campaigned together at a breakfast joint in Man- chester, though he dis- played palpable frustra- tion at Sanders' success with young voters. Whenasupporterpraised his own economic record as president, Bill Clinton re- plied, "We'd be better off if any of these young people could remember it." Sanders, cruising toward a likely first win in New Hampshire, resisted calling more attention to the ac- cusations being leveled by Clinton's campaign. Hop- ing to avoid any last-min- ute misstep, he stuck to core campaign themes as he ad- dressed cheering support- ers in Nashua. "Wehavecomealongway in the last nine months," Sanders said. At a Republican town hall in Hudson, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie faced a woman in her 20s who railed against Albright's comments but asked Chris- tie why she should vote for him instead. "Because you want some- one to tell you the truth," Christie said. After hearing his answer, the woman said Christie had earned her vote. But the brash-talking governor got a colder reception later outside a Hampstead cof- fee shop, where he slipped out the back door to avoid a group of home-state crit- ics with signs reading "New Jersey's Biggest Loser." Trump faced fresh criti- cism of his call for interro- gating some foreign pris- oners with tactics even harsher than waterboard- ing, which President Barack Obama halted after taking office. Trump hasn't said ex- actly what techniques he'd support, but he told a town hall in Salem that water- boarding is "peanuts" com- pared to what Islamic State militants are doing. "It's fine," Trump said of waterboarding. "And much tougher than that is fine. When we're dealing with these animals we can't be soft and weak like our pol- iticians." Unpredictable and known for last-minute deci- sions, New Hampshire vot- ers had been expected to help winnow the crowded Republican primary, clar- ifying which of the candi- dates would emerge as the strongest alternative to front-runners Trump and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. But a shaky debate per- formance by Sen. Marco Rubio, who gained fresh interest after placing third in Iowa, offered new hope to Christie, Bush and Ohio Gov. John Kasich, suggest- ing a longer battle slog for the GOP that could extend after New Hampshire into South Carolina, Nevada and beyond. GOP FRONT-RUNNER Trump aiming for NH win while rivals aim to survive CHARLES KRUPA — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump addresses a gathering during a campaign stop at an Elks Lodge in Salem, N.H., on Monday. JOHN MINCHILLO — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks during a campaign stop at the Palace Theatre on Monday in Manchester, N.H. New Year Special MODERNCLEANERS 609WalnutSt.,RedBluff•527-4308 20% off AREA RUGS Excludessomespecialtyrugs.Mustbepresentedwithincomingorder. Not good with other offers. Expires 2/28/16 750DavidAvenue,RedBluff•527-9193• www.tehamaestatesretirement.com find us on Facebook Tehama Estates The areas #1 Senior Housing Provider SeniorRetirementApartments • 3 Delicious Healthy Meals Each Day • Daily Housekeeping • 24 Hour Staffing, 365 Days of the Year • Utilities Included (except phone & cable) • Transportation • Fun Activities and Events Call For Rent Special TehamaEstatesProvides: 530-917-1138 • 616CedarStreet,RedBluff SweetDealsat Sun.-Thurs.9am-7pm, Friday 9am-5pm, closed Sat. New & Consigned Furniture, Mattress & More AmazingFinds BedroomSets onSale! Over5,000itemsOnlineand at each Store www.amazingfindsredbluff.com We have Buicks, Chevys, Chryslers, Dodge Cars, Dodge Trucks, Fiat, Ford Cars, Ford Trucks, GMC's, Hyundais, Jeeps, Kias, Nissans, Volkswagen & Lots of Toyotas 545 Adobe Rd., Red Bluff 530-366-3166 www.redbluffdodge.com Over 100 Pre-Owned in Stock! Check out Red Bluff Dodge.com or Better Yet... Like Bob Barker Said.... COME ON DOWN! 714WalnutSt.,RedBluff Your One Stop Convenience Store ONE STOP More Than Just a Gas Station! GAS CIGARETTES BEER • WINE LARGE SELECTION of SPIRITS Topsoilfrom Red Truck Rock Yard, LLC • Standard Blends • Premium Blends • Special Blends • Also Available: Mushroom Compost Mulch • Worm Castings Open Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. We'llalsodeliverstraighttoyou. WE HAVE MOVED SALE 25% OFF ALL INVENTORY Visit us at 6041 Hwy 99W Corning 530-824-0773 Juli Foster Exclusive Agent 250 Walnut Street Red Bluff, CA 96080 Office 530-527-5534 Cell 530-339-1595 Fax 530-527-4808 julifoster@allstate.com CA Insurance License Number OD41159 24-Hour Customer Service FD652 -BurialorCremation - Personalized Services - Pre Planning - Customized Burial Option 816WalnutSt.,RedBluff,CA (530) 527-1174 www.chapeloftheflowers.net Youcanhavepeaceofmindknowing your loved one has rested with dignity. Hoyt-ColeChapeloftheFlowers 20815 Dalby Ln. Red Bluff 527-5314 Where Excellence Meets Affordable No Appointment Necessary FREE Is Your Check Engine Light On? We'll Code Check it Visit us on the web at www.eliteautomotiveredbluff.com Monday-Friday 7:30-5:30 SMOG CHECK ✓ TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2016 REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM | NEWS | 5 B