Image: Memorial for WW I Veterans of Washington City, District of Columbia. Inscribed at base: "Dedicated on Armistice Day, 1931, by Herbert Hoover, President of the United States. Within the corner-stone are recorded the names of 26,000 Washingtonians who when the U.S. entered the War answered the call to arms and served in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard."

In honor of the war veterans in our family, I started a list of those who have served in the military forces. I wanted to complete this list in time for Memorial Day, formerly called Decoration Day. However, the work is still in progress. I have gone through each family line looking for information on individual military records. The information came from personal communications with family members, but often I had to rely only on tombstone inscriptions. There are several databases on the Internet that are now available for research in this area. I will keep adding to this paper as data becomes available to me.

Below are the war veterans who I found in the Russell Line. I have just begun to look for individuals in the Kramp Line.

I categorized the veterans chronologically by the given conflict and then alphabetically by surname.

RUSSELL LINE, including descendants of Thomas W., Robert, Alma Emma, and James F. Russell

PRE WORLD WAR I

None known at this time.

WORLD WAR I

FORSYTHE, Thomas Russell (1892-1960), s/o Emma Russell and Alex Forsyth. From tombstone: Veteran of WW I, Sgt Det 1,  148th Infantry, 37th Div. Obit: Affiliated with American Legion Post 41.

FORSYTHE, Clellan S. (1895-1953), s/o Emma Russell and Alex Forsyth. From Campaign booklet: Enlisted in U.S. Navy; served 20 months as a radio operator in mine sweeping Division. WW I.

PARKINSON, Harry (1897-?) Harry Parkinson changed his surname to Russell.  Joyce Bowen, daughter of Elizabeth Bramwell (nee. Parkinson), recalls her mother telling her that Harry joined the British Army, but wanted to wear a kilt.  So, he deserted from the Army, changed his surname to Russell, and joined the Tyneside Scottish Regiment.

RUSSELL, John Owen (1894-1963), s/o James F. Russell. U.S. Navy, Veteran of WW I.

WHEDON, Ralph Hiram (1894-1952), husband of Elizabeth Forsythe, son-in-law of Emma Russell. From Obit: Veteran of WW I. Branch of Military not mentioned.

WORLD WAR II

RUSSELL, Burt Olmes (1908-1972), s/o T. Garfield Russell; grandson of Robert Russell. From obituary: Served in US Army in European Theator of Operations. From tombstone: "CPL 365th F.A.BN. US Army WW II"

SAMUEL(S), James Russell (1907-1970), s/o Mary Russell and Daniel Samuels. U.S. Army, WW II.

SAMUELS, Daniel G. (1908-1977), s/o Daniel Samuels and Mary Russell, grandson of Robert Russell. From Obit: U.S. Army, WW II, served in Cairo, Eygpt, and France, England.

SHERWIN, Joseph M. (1915-1999), s/o Janet Russell and Joseph Sherwin. U.S. Navy, Veteran of WW II.

SHERWIN, Thomas R. (1919- ), s/o Janet Russell and Joseph Sherwin. U.S. Army, Signal Corps, WW II.

SHERWIN, Matthew (1921- ), s/o Janet Russell and Joseph Sherwin. U.S. Army. WW II; Drafted in 1945, after the enemy combatants has surrendered. Served in the Military Police assigned to guard war criminals at Fort Hill, near Harrisburg, PA.

SHERWIN, William (1925- ), s/o Janet Russell and Joseph Sherwin. U.S. Air Force, WW II.

RIVES, Donald W. (1927-deceased), husband of Eloise Whedon, Navy Seaman, WW II

WHEDON, Eloise (1923- ), d/o Elizabeth Forsythe and Ralph Whedon. Served in Nursing Corps, WW II. See picture of "Sis" in uniform.

FORSYTHE, Robert Edward (1920- ), s/o John R. Forsythe. Veteran of WW II, served in China, Burma, Indochina campaign.

BOTTRILL, Warren E. (1922-2001), s/o Sadie Russsell and William Bottrill; grandson of James F. Russell. Graduated from Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, Long Island, NY. Veteran of WW II; participated in Normandy Invasion.

HONADLE, John Albert (1917-1983), husband of Norma J. Koehler, son in law of Helen Russell, who was d/o Nicholson Russell. Major, U.S. Air Force, Veteran WW II. Buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

POST WORLD WAR II

FORSYTHE, William Douglas (1937-  ). Colonel U.S. Air Force.

BOTTRILL, Raymond F. (1932-2003), s/o Sadie Russsell and William Bottrill; grandson of James F. Russell.  U.S. Army during Korean Conflict. Served as Presidential Honor Guard during Eisenhower Adminstration.

LUSK, Robert W. (1931-1998), s/o Otto Strike and Emily Russell. U.S. Army, 1954-1956.

PHILLIPS, Lyle (1930- ), husband of Emily McKillop, son in law of Gladys Strike and Cal McKillop. U.S. Marines.

BOTTRILL, Adam J. (1977- ), s/o Eric R. Bottrill, grandson of Warren Bottrill. U.S. Naval Academy, graduated about 1999.

KRAMP LINE:

KRAMP, Amil John. (1894 - 1959) CPL Co K 51 Inf 6 Div WW I. (Purple Heart Recipient?)