In [1, Theorem 3.3], E. Bishop proved that an operator S on a Hilbert space ℋ is subnormal if and only if there is a net of normal operators {Nα} that converges to S strongly (that is, ‖(Nα–S) f‖→ 0 for every f in ℋ). The proof that such a net exists if S is subnormal is not so difficult; in fact, a sequence of normal operators converging strongly to S can be found. Bishop's proof of the converse, however, is rather complicated and involves, among other things, some complicated arguments using operator-valued measures. The purpose of this note is to provide an easier proof of this part of the theorem. Our interest in finding such a proof was aroused by Paul Halmos.