Charles Norman Shay
1924–2025 (age 101)
Biography
Charles Norman Shay (June 27, 1924 – December 3, 2025) was an American Penobscot tribal elder, writer and decorated veteran of both World War II and the Korean War. Along with a Bronze Star and Silver Star, Shay was also awarded the Legion of Honour, making him the first Native American in Maine with the distinction of French chevalier. He was instrumental in the re-publishing of an 1893 book by his grandfather, Joseph Nicolar: The Life and Traditions of the Red Man. Shay later wrote an autobiography, Project Omaha Beach: The Life and Military Service of a Penobscot Indian Elder, that detailed his time abroad in the military.