American History in Real Life
Movies in the past have often shown characters that were touched by historical events. Yet sometimes, the truth is often more fantastic than anything Hollywood can devise. These stories of real people show how the events of the past touched their lives. Some times the stories are dramatic, sometimes simple, but all in all they weave a tapesty of the richness of the American experience.-
Recent Posts
- What the… November 25, 2021
- Hail to the Chiefs — Crew that is November 21, 2021
- Fighter ‘Gator Book Now Available October 7, 2021
- Bridge and the Art of War August 19, 2021
- Some thoughts on combat July 31, 2021
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Copyright notice- An American Family, 2013- 2021
© John Norvell
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Category Archives: Arizona
My special love – The F-4 Phantom II
By 2016 I had not thought about flying fighters for a long time. My good friend from Alaska, the former Capt Jim (now Lt Col retired) suggested we meet in Dayton and go through the Air Force Museum. Jim was … Continue reading
Posted in 13 TFS, 43 TFS, Air Force, Alaska, Alaskan Air Command, American History, Arizona, F-4 Phantom II, F4 Phantom II, F4 PhantomII, Fighter Aircraft, Navigator, Vietnam War
Tagged Air Force Museum, Combat, Udorn
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Thoughts from the Pit
As I completed my time at Luke upgrading into the backseat some thoughts crossed my mind: 1. The Ejection seat was my friend and I took great care to make sure that everything was right. When I stepped in the … Continue reading
The View from the Pit
Unlike Undergraduate Navigator Training –UNT, the F-4 backseat AKA “The Pit” was a very different world. At nav school, I sat at a table in a classroom, “flew” our practice mission, and did my computations. In the F-4 Sim, I … Continue reading
Posted in 13 TFS, Air Force, Alaska, American History, Arizona, F-4 Phantom II, F4 Phantom II, F4 PhantomII, Family History, Luke AFB, Navigator, SEA, Vietnam War
Tagged F-training, The Pit
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On the Road Again
Nearly 50 years ago, I began traveling with my aunt, who often visited me when I was still a bachelor, she had just lost her husband to cancer. Our first adventure occurred while I was in Nav School, we decided … Continue reading
Posted in Alaska, American History, Anchorage, Arizona, Norvell Family History
Tagged Alaska, Auntie Mame, Grand Canyon, Travels with family
1 Comment
A Picture worth many words
I have been looking at this picture a lot this week. I posted it to several F4 facebook groups. It shows me standing in front of an F4C parked on the ramp at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona … Continue reading
Posted in 13 TFS, 43 TFS, Air Force, Alaska, American History, Arizona, F-4 Phantom II, F4 Phantom II
Tagged Fighter pilots, GIB, SEA, Thailand, Udorn RTAFB, WSO
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F4 Graduation Day
45 years ago in April 1973, I left Luke AFB in Arizona en route to South East Asia. As I graduated from F4 upgrade training, I was a very different person than when I began it. Actually, I can say … Continue reading
Posted in 13 TFS, American History, Arizona, F-4 Phantom II, F4 Phantom II, Fighter Aircraft, Norvell Family History, Thailand, Udorn RTAFB, Veterans, Vietnam War
Tagged 310 TFTS, F4 RTU, Luke AFB
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An American Family 