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Recent Posts
- May 1973 First F-4 Combat Mission over Cambodia May 17, 2023
- Jungle Survival – A Piece of Cake May 2, 2023
- Leaving Luke For Southeast Asia 1973 March 28, 2023
- The POWs come Home and we welcome one January 24, 2023
- Greeting the Future in Times Square December 29, 2022
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Copyright notice- An American Family, 2013- 2023
© John Norvell
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Category Archives: Norvell Family History
Rabies Shots
Today Dear Reader I have one word for you: Bats. I sense your confusion. Is this another political commentary, an observation on 2020, or am I giving an insight into my general mental health? Well, no, it’s about the mammal: … Continue reading
Posted in American History, Norvell Family History, NY, NY History, Ontario Co
Tagged Bats, Rabies Shots
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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
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Tales of My Phantom FNG Moments
Everyone who has flown has been an FNG more than once. For the uninitiated that is a F’ing New Guy. The term FNG has been used in the Air Force, I can bet, as long at there were aircrews. It … Continue reading
Summer of ’69: How I saw the astronauts and almost went to Woodstock
Fifty years ago three major developments competed for the attention of America: The Race to the Moon, the so called “Flower Power” movement, and the Vietnam War. In that long ago summer of 1969, two would play out on the … Continue reading
Posted in American History, Norvell Family History, Washington DC
Tagged Apollo 11, Flower Power, Moon landing, Summer of 1969, Woodstock
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Little Orphan Annie and the end of the Air War in SEA August 1973
Lest we forget: F-4 Phantom II—445 total lost in the SEA Air War, 382 in combat more than any other fixed wing aircraft First combat loss F-4C 64-0685 (45th TFS, 15th TFW) shot down Ta Chan, NW NVN on 20 June 1965. Final … Continue reading
Posted in 13 TFS, Air Force, American History, Cambodia bombing 1973, Combat, F-4 Phantom II, F4 emergency, F4 Phantom II, F4 PhantomII, Family History, Fighter Aircraft, Military history, Norvell Family History, SEA, U Dorn RTAFB, Udorn RTAFB, Veterans, Vietnam War
Tagged Air War SEA, air war vietnam, Cambodia, Cambodia Bombing, Letters home SEA, Recollections of combat, Vietnam memories
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Murder in the Family
A distant cousin of mine, William Walker Norvell, was a member of a prominent Beaumont, Texas family. By the 1920s he was married to a woman named Aurelia H. Adams ( 1866-1928). She would meet a violent end at his … Continue reading
Posted in American History, Norvell Family History, Texas, Texas History
Tagged Beaumont, family scandals
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Every year Santa came until 2015
Since 1971, Santa Claus has come to my house. That was the first year that a 12 inch-tall standup Christmas card of Santa, holding a pipe with a heart applique in the billowing smoke, arrived in the mail. It … Continue reading
Speech Given at the First Annual Veterans Dinner at Finger Lakes Community College
Remarks by Lt Col John E. Norvell (USAF Ret.) November 10, 2017 President Nye, Dr. Pierce, ladies and gentleman and members of the College community, thank you for inviting me to speak tonight. As a former history professor I routinely … Continue reading
Posted in 13 TFS, 43 TFS, Air Force, American History, Bolling AFB, F-4 Phantom II, F4 Phantom II, F4 PhantomII, Family History, Fighter Aircraft, Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp, New York State History, Norvell Family History, Ontario Co, Thailand, U Dorn RTAFB, Udorn RTAFB, Veterans, Vietnam War
Tagged Bolling AFB, Cambodia Bombing
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The Norvell Boys Write to the President
In the 19th century, Americans often wrote to the chief executive asking for jobs or advice on how to conduct their lives. Two such letters were sent to Thomas Jefferson by members of the same family. The first one was … Continue reading
A Letter Home
Stevens Thompson Norvell (1835 -1911) enlisted in the army on January 23, 1858 as a private in Company A 5th U.S. Infantry. One of his first assignments was as an infantryman in the West; later he would fight with Teddy … Continue reading
An American Family 