Personal Narrative: The Russell Family

Meade, Maryland since October 1942, he departed the United States, 8 February 1943, for duty in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations. While serving as a Staff Sergeant with Company B, 15th Infantry, he was honorably discharged 13 October 1944 and accepted a combat appointment as a second lieutenant in the Army of the United States on 14 October 1944. He then served as Platoon Leader and Company Commander with the 15th Infantry Regiment to August 1945. Upon his return to the United States in September 1945, he was sent to Fort Sam Houston, Texas where he accepted a commission as first lieutenant in the Officers' Reserve Corps on 21 August 1945 and was released from active duty on 21 September 1945. He was Federally recognized as Captain, National Guard of the United States on 19 October 1950. On 14 February 1956, he was Federally recognized as Major, National Guard of Texas and was promoted to Major, National Guard of the United States effective the same date. His status in the National Guard terminated 7 November 1966, by reason of withdrawal of Federal Recognition, and he was transferred to the U.S. Army Reserve, where he held a commission as a major.

In May, 1944 Mr. and Mrs. Sylvester Fortin of Falmouth received notification from the War Department that their son Corp. Walter E. Fortin, missing since November 26, 1943, was officially listed as dead. In just over a year they would receive notification from the Navy Department their second son, SF 3/c Sylvester A. Fortin Jr. died of his wounds.

He was only sixteen so he had to fake his birth certificate so he could enlist. While in the Navy, Jerry got a lot of education he never got when he lived with his parents, and got a lot of training. He went to military and contractor schools, which helped him learn a lot, but that was not enough for young Jerry. Jerry was a Petty Officer 2nd Class and an aircraft engine mechanic while in the Navy. Three months before his three year contract ended with the Navy, the Korean War began, so Jerry could not be discharged. This led to him reenlisting in the Navy for another six years. After the time he served in the Navy, someone suggested he go to the Air Force.His brother suggested he go to San Antonio, Texas. While in the Air force, Jerry was in the tech services for five years, and he also was very interested in airplanes. He served in the Air Force for eleven years, and then retired at the age of 36 as a Senior Master Sergeant.. Which is pretty impressive I think because he explained to us that a Senior Master Sergeant as being a higher rank than Master Sergeant, but not the highest rank one can receive. A Senior Master Sergeant is the fourth Non-Commissioned Officer rank in the Air

The Singing Mailman, that’s what they knew him as. I called him Grandpa blue jeans and both he and my uncle Eugene called me Poncho. I never asked why and I never cared. His given name was Eugene James Jr and he was my great grandfather. He played many roles in his 89 years. WWII Air Force Veteran, Pineville Baptist Church Charter member, 26 year career mailman, daredevil roller skater, science fiction book aficionado, and daytime television critic just to name a few. He was the most devoted husband to Louise James, my grandmother, and the patriarch of my family as I knew it. I remember many things about my grandfather; his silver Buick with maroon interior, his love for meatloaf and deviled eggs (which it seems I inherited), his big thick

One of the substance abuse interventions I recently led, resulted in a very public miraculous healing. I was contacted by the McCracken family early in 2015 to lead a last chance intervention for their son Jeff. Jeff McCracken was barely alive when we got him to treatment. Once he arrived at the facility we had in place, they immediately sent Jeff to the hospital. His medical condition was dire, he was given two months to live and sent to Hospice. In Hospice, Jeff’s parents requested our team to pray over him. Within days of that event, Jeff had an incredible turn around and was released from Hospice and entered a program. I sponsored Jeff throughout the recovery process. God has utterly transformed his life. Dubbed a modern day “Lazarus,”

Charles Livingston Kelly was born on April 10, 1925 in a small Georgia town. He first decided to join the Army when he was just 15 years old. He ran away from home and lied about his age so he could fight in Europe. He was wounded in Europe and after returning from the war he finished school, to include college. After college he worked as a high school principal. Kelly’s first love was always the Army though and he enlisted in the Army and eventually became a commissioned officer. Kelly went on to attend flight school in Fort Sill, Oklahoma and graduated in 1954.

This man who served was my great-granduncle named Hollis Francis Sheldon. As I was talking with my grandmother about our family history one day. We came upon this picture of the gravestone of one person who was in our family. This was Hollis Francis Sheldon, my grandmother’s uncle.

Timothy is my third great grandfather. He was a carpenter. September 13, 1827- September 15, 1900 is was he was born till he died at the age of 73. Got married twice, but the firsts wife did not die. They lived in Brooklyn, New York. Henry B. Schuyler was him and one of his wife’s kids. He was sent to live with his aunt and uncle in Nebraska when he was a teenager. Green’s BrickYard in Sioux City was where he worked. Henry was born in August 22, 1856 and died on July 30, 1919. One of his kid’s names was Charles

Uncle Joe, There have been countless times over the years and to this day where people have asked me, "Are you related to Mr. Lozina that used to teach at Trott or "Coach Lozina?" Every single one had a wonderful memory of you they shared and what an impact you had on their lives!! I've ALWAYS been proud to tell them you are my uncle!!! What an amazing role model you're to your family but so many others!!

Martin’s job was police duties and he said that the hardest challenge he had to face was that he had to try to stay alive and not get shot. My grandfather saw combat in action. He said that his most memorable experience was traveling to the different countries. My grandfather was awarded the Army Commendation Medal. He was awarded the medal because he conducted an investigation.

Navy, and marrying my grandmother. According to my grandpa, when he was a kid they had no league sports; so they had to improvise. All the kids in the neighborhood would gather up, and play other neighborhoods in sports such as baseball, basketball, and football. When my grandpa was sixteen years old, he got into diving; he immediately fell in love with it. He later went to state for diving when he was seventeen, and he won it. Just a couple months after high school graduation, my grandfather enlisted into the U.S. Navy. He was put on the ship the USS Theodore E. Chandler, a destroyer armed with several guns and cannons. He gathered many stories from the U.S. Navy, but those stories are for later on. After six years of service, almost directly after my grandfather left the U.S. Navy; he met the love of his life. My grandpa married her in 1961, and is still married her till today; making them married for fifty-five

As a witness to the average American lifestyle and one who has experienced time with many different families and many different people for that matter, I believe that there is no such thing as a person. Everyone has their flaws, quirks, or traits that make them unique, and not every person will always be able to get along with one another because of these differences. But our differences with other people should not be shamed but embraced. I believe that The Middle is the perfect representation of a not so perfect family full of not so perfect people. A modern American lifestyle lived by individuals of all types of personalities that somehow blend together well enough to create the perfect family situation to make a sitcom.

Life in the Bethel household was drastically different before December 30th, 2014. My husband and I have four children between us ages 19, 16, 12 and 7. Our oldest had moved out some time before December. She had turned 19 and obviously was “an adult” now and our family’s new “normal” was going well. We had a routine down, the kids were all self-sufficient and life was simple then. Like many families we had drama from our extended family. We are no strangers to sister’s throwing each other under the bus, in-laws ruining the Thanksgiving spirit, parents giving their two cents when nobody asked for it, and all that other stuff loving families are known for, but on December 30th 2014 the family drama and stress that blossoms with it landed on

My grandfather is the nicest person I know when it comes to military struggles.Back in the day, when my grandfather was in the military and there

He had volunteered for the army when he was 17. Grandpa signed his papers to allow him to enter the service a year earlier than army standards stated. He served in Korea for two years as a member of the infantry before being wounded. Dad killed countless “slant-eyes”, “gooks”, and “buck-toothed son-of-a-bitches”. Although he rarely talked