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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Tag Archives: Norvell
Letters from the War – Thailand 5
The following excerpts are from letters that were written to my wife and others during the Vietnam War, while I was stationed in Thailand. Because of the nature of the events, the letters seldom told the entire story to loved … Continue reading
Posted in Air Force, American History, Cambodia bombing 1973, Combat, F-4 Phantom II, Fighter Aircraft, Fighter pilot lingo, Fighter pilot slang, Norvell Family History, Thailand, U Dorn RTAFB, Vietnam War
Tagged Air Force, Cambodia Bombing, Combat, Norvell, Thailand, United States Air Force, Vietnam War
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Letters from the War – Thailand 4
The following excerpts are from letters that were written to my wife and others during the Vietnam War, while I was stationed in Thailand. Because of the nature of the events, the letters seldom told the entire story to loved … Continue reading
Posted in Air Force, Air Force lingo, American History, Cambodia bombing 1973, Combat, F-4 Phantom II, Family History, Fighter Aircraft, Fighter pilot lingo, Fighter pilot slang, Norvell Family History, Thailand, U Dorn RTAFB, Vietnam War
Tagged Air Force, Cambodia Bombing, Combat, F4 Phantom II, Norvell, Norvell History, United States, Vietnam War
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Fighter Jock Nicknames
If you visited a fighter squadron, you would immediately feel that you were seeing an episode of M*A*S*H*; all the main characters had nicknames. Some nicknames came from the background of the person involved. There was Captain “D Ring,” a … Continue reading
Gettysburg – Some thoughts
No event has impacted the American psyche as much as the Civil War and this battle in particular. If we were to look for an event that equals its impact in the 20th century, only the Great Depression would … Continue reading
In Philadelphia
John Norvell had written to Thomas Jefferson in 1807 asking his opinion of a career in the press, which Jefferson felt was a dishonorable profession filled liars and with those he viewed, at times, as enemies. Norvell, unlike Jefferson, … Continue reading
Posted in American History, American Newpapers, Colonial History, Family History, Franklin Gazette, Genealogy, Journalism, Norvell Family History, Philadelphia, Social History, The press, Thomas Jefferson
Tagged John Norvell, Lipscomb Norvell, Norvell, Norvell History, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Inquirer
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With the Buffalo Soldiers
STEVENS THOMPSON NORVELL (born February 14, 1835 -died August 20, 1911, Ogunquit, Maine of Bright’s Disease) enlisted in the army on January 23, 1858 as a private in Company A 5th Infantry. After the Civil War, he was assigned to … Continue reading
At the Fair – Two Generations
Nearly 50 years ago I went to the New York Worlds Fair. Nearly 75 years ago, my father went to the New York World’s Fair of that era. In June 1939 the biggest event in the country was the visit … Continue reading
Escape at Goliad
William Lawrence Norvell, son of Joshua Norvell and Catherine Crist Norvell was born March 1813 and died before 1900 in New York City. With the death of his mother in 1814, he was given to the care of his uncle … Continue reading
Fleeing Washington
In August 1814 John Norvell and his brother in law Spencer Houghton Cone found themselves as part of the American forces defending the City of Washington from the British invasion at the Battle of Bladensburg. At the time, Norvell was married … Continue reading
A Letter to Mr. Jefferson
In 1807, my great great grandfather John Norvell, then a 17 year-old boy, wrote a letter to Thomas Jefferson, then president of the United States, asking him about his opinion of journalism as a future career. Danville, K[y]. May 9, … Continue reading
Posted in American History, Journalism, Michigan History, Norvell Family History, Philadelphia history, Social History, The press, Thomas Jefferson, Uncategorized
Tagged Dumas Malone, Jefferson, John Norvell, Kentucky, Michigan, Norvell, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Inquirer, President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, United State, United States
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An American Family 