03/20/2026
Chuck Norris has died at the age of 86. His family confirmed his sudden passing on Friday, saying he died Thursday morning in Hawaii, surrounded by loved ones.
To the world, he was a martial arts icon and one of Hollywood's greatest action stars. But before all of that, Carlos Ray Norris was a United States Air Force Airman.
In 1958, Norris enlisted in the Air Force as an Air Policeman. He completed basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, where a fellow Airman gave him the nickname "Chuck." He was then stationed at Osan Air Base in South Korea, where he discovered martial arts and began training in Tang Soo Do. That moment changed the course of his life.
After returning to the U.S., Norris served at March Air Force Base in California until his honorable discharge in August 1962 at the rank of Airman First Class. He later said his military service was the foundation of everything that followed.
In 2001, the Air Force named him Veteran of the Year.
Just 10 days ago, on his 86th birthday, Norris posted a video of himself training in Hawaii with the caption: "I don't age. I level up."
Rest easy, Airman