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© John Norvell
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Category Archives: Washington DC
Silver Wings
Mather Air Force Base—UNT graduation 25 July 1972 It’s hard to believe that it has been 50– 50 years; I repeat this almost in unbelief. Why? Because I only became a navigator through an odd series of circumstances. I received … 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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At RFK’s grave in Arlington with Jackie Kennedy – 50 years ago
Like many Americans in 1968, the most newsworthy events played out each day on my television. Whether it was the Vietnam war, the protests, or the presidential election, each night my TV linked me to the wider world. On … Continue reading
Posted in American History, Washington DC
Tagged Caroline Kennedy, Jackie Kennedy, John Kennedy Jr, RFK D, RFK Death 1968
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Dr. King’s death: 1968 in Washington DC
50 years ago, I heard Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., give his last public Sunday sermon at the National Cathedral. In 1968 I was a brand new Air Force second lieutenant living in Washington DC. I had only … Continue reading
A Whole New World
2018 is a memorable year for me. In 1968, after a stint in graduate school, I began my full time Air Force career. My initial duty assignment was to be in Washington, D.C. I had orders to report there … Continue reading
Posted in Air Force, American History, Vietnam Protests, Vietnam War, Washington DC
Tagged 1968, Pueblo, RFK Death 1968, Riots in the streets, Tet Offensive, USS Pueblo
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Washington Sep 11, 2001
Although we had lived in Washington, D.C. for many years, by 2001 we had moved to the Finger Lakes area of New York, where I had taken a job as alumni director of my college. Both of our daughters had … Continue reading
Posted in 2001, 9/11, American History, Washington DC, World Trade Center
Tagged Events of 9/11, Washington 9/11
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Criminals in the Family
Every family has a skeleton in the closet. In our family, Willard Smith Norvell and Bayard Boyd Norvell fit the bill. They were the sons of my great uncle Edwin Forrest Norvell, who had served in the Civil War, as … Continue reading
Lincoln on my Mind
April 14, 2015 marks the 150th anniversary of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. As a military historian I have over the years come to respect Lincoln’s leadership during the Civil War. As an American historian I admire his astitute political … Continue reading
A Norvell Family Christmas Vacation – or the holidays from h…
Chevy Chase as Clark Griswold in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation: “Nobody’s walking out on this fun, old-fashioned family Christmas. No, no. We’re all in this together.” In 1989 my mother came to visit with us for 6 weeks (that’s 42 … Continue reading
Wild in the Streets — Washington DC 1968-1971
From 1968-1971, before I entered flying training, I was assigned to a staff position in a command post in Washington, D.C. This was a time of great upheaval in America. In April 1968, two months after I arrived at Bolling … Continue reading
Posted in 1960s Turmoil, Air Force, American History, Ancestry, AntiWar Protests, Family History, Martin L King Death, Norvell Family History, Social History, Veterans, Vietnam Protests, Washington DC
Tagged 1960s Turmoil, Air Force, antiwar Vietnam, Dr King Deat, Protests Vietnam, Vietnam War, Washington
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