Littrell Family Veteran’s Day Dedication

John Littrell had five sons and two son-in-laws serve between 1941 and 1952. Ancestors and descendants of John & Kizzie (Comer) Littrell have served in: Indiana Wars, The Revolution, the War of 1812, the Civil War (both sides), WWII, Korea, Vietnam, the Cold War, Afghanistan, Kuwait, and Iraq.

The son and son-in-laws of John & Kizzie:

World War II:

• JD Littrell: US Navy and US Army (Retired) JD would serve 28 months throughout the South Pacific(with the 63rd CBs) including at Guadalcanal in 1943. Following his Discharge from the US Navy (World War II) JD returned to the ‘bootheel’ area of Southeast Missouri until his enlistment in the US Army, September 10, 1947. JD was stationed with the 7th Tank Battalion, 3rd Armored Division as a Platoon Sergeant until being assigned to C Company of the 1st Battalion, 23rd Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division in Ft. Lewis (1950). The 23rd Regiment would soon ship-out for Korea aboard the USS General Freeman. JD received three Purple Hearts and the Combat Infantry Badge in Korea. A career soldier, JD served in two conflicts, World War II and Korea; two branches, Navy and Army; and had two sons serve in the Army, Troy and Glenn. JD was the first of John & Kizzie's to enlist and the family's first career soldier. http://littrellluttrell.blogspot.com/2013/05/jd-littrell-us-navy.html
• Redford ‘Red’ Littrell: US Army Red reported for service October 14, 1942, just one month after his younger brother, JD, had enlisted in the Navy. Red reported to Camp White, Oregon and served throughout the war with the 91st Recon Troop, 91st Infantry Division. He was discharged at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri on October 22, 1945. Redford received the Bronze Star and Combat Infantry Badge for action in Italy. http://littrellluttrell.blogspot.com/2013/05/redford-red-littrell-us-army.html
• Oliver James 'OJ' Littrell: US Army OJ was a Sergeant in the Medical Corps during World War II. He served in the South Pacific from August of 1945 to October of 1946 as a medic. OJ's son, Chief Master Sergeant Wallace (Wally) Littrell was a career soldier in the Air Force. http://littrellluttrell.blogspot.com/2014/11/oliver-james-littrell-us-army.html 
• Lindsay “Bordie” Thurman: US Army During WWII Bordie was a Corporal in the Army Air Corp. Bordie's great-great-granddaughter, Angela Cross Pfaff, US Air Force retired, is the families first female service-person. http://littrellluttrell.blogspot.com/2015/11/lindsay-bordie-thurman-us-army.html 
• Jesse Lee Davis: US Navy A son-in-law of John & Kizzie, Jessie was the husband of Letha Mae Littrell Davis. Jesse served on throughout the South Pacific during WWII. Jessie's son and great-grandson also served in the Navy, making them the only three generation service family. Billie Lee Davis (Cold War) and Blain Davis (Persian Gulf). http://littrellluttrell.blogspot.com/2015/11/jesse-lee-davis-us-navy.html

Korea:

• Albert Rubin Littrell: US Army Rubin was a Sergeant in the Army with plans to make it a career. During the Korean War he was wounded in the knee by a sniper, earning him the Combat Infantry Badge and a Purple Heart, but ending his Army career. http://littrellluttrell.blogspot.com/2014/11/albert-rubin-littrell-us-army.html 
• Leslie ‘Les’ Littrell: US Army Between WWII and Korea  Les would enlist at age 19 [in June of 1947]. He would be stationed at Ft. Lewis, Washington with "A" Co., 9th Infantry "Manchu" Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division (2ID). "A" Co would be deployed to Alaska and stationed at Ladd Air Force Base, near Fairbanks, and would remain there for 6 months before returning to Ft. Lewis. As a tank crew member he also was qualified as a Light Mortar Crewman. Les's son, John 'JL' Littrell would also serve aboard the US Kitty Hawk in the Gulf of Tonkin during the Vietnam War. http://littrellluttrell.blogspot.com/2013/05/leslie-les-littrell-us-army.html

Besides the 7 sons and son-in-laws of John and Kizzie, 7 grandchildren[bold type] of John and Kizzie mentioned above were also recognized with a brick at this years dedication. All together over 35 descendants of John and Kizzie [Comer] Littrell have served in the military over the last 72 years, covering 5 generations. From 1942 to 2014 there has always been a descendant of John & Kizzie in the military.
For more on the military history of the Littrell Family of Mississippi County, Missouri go to:
http://www.communitywalk.com/military_roll_call/map/1620750

The family of Kizzie Zore Comer and John Daniel Littrell

......... When Uncle Jim and Grandpa John returned to Tennessee after checking out Missouri, John didn't return with Uncle Jim and his family to Missouri until a few years later. John ran a store in Tennessee, but because he tended to extend too much credit - he eventually lost the store and decided to take his family and join Uncle Jim in Missouri.
So in January 1932, John and Kizzie loaded the family into the back of Lee Flemmings flatbed truck ( Flemming made a living hauling families to Missouri ). The truck had only a partial tarp on it - so wrapped in quilts and toting "chicken in a lard can" they headed for Missouri. They worked for Bob Grear, sharecropping at LaForge [1935] for a while, and then moved into a two room shack on Uncle Jim's place. After that they lived on Joe Thomason's place and then Anniston [1940], and then East Prairie on property they purchased from Kizzie's brother Leslie Crutcher[LA] Comer who lived next door. John and Kizzie lived the remainder of their lives in East Prairie.

updated and reposted from 12-6-2016:   34 / 84

Military Role Call: Remember Our Veterans VIDEO:

11-11-13 (UPDATED)

Littrell Family Veterans

-click the arrow to access the video-

-if an advertisement appears on the video click the ‘X’ in the ad to remove it-

The Boys of Anniston, MO.
The Armistice of 1918

About some in the Video

Who Was: Col. John Luttrell?

Frontiersmen, Soldier, Businessman.  John Luttrell was one of seven partners that formed the Henderson Company, aka The Transylvania Company, with Col. Richard Henderson.  Prior to the Revolutionary War Col. Henderson and Luttrell, at the Treaty of Watauga purchased most of Kentucky from the native Americans of the area.  Upon completion of the treaty they set out to join their employee Daniel Boone who had set out days before to blaze the trail [Wilderness Trail] into Kentucky.  Richardson, Luttrell and their party joined Daniel Boone at the founding of Ft. Boonesborough days later.  At the beginning of the Revolutionary War John Luttrell returned to his home in North Carolina and was commissioned Colonel in his colonies militia.  He served throughout the war until he was killed at the Battle of Lindleys Mill in an action against the rear guard of a 'Tory' unit who had kidnapped the governor of North Carolina.  Col. Luttrell had no children when he died leaving no descendants as attested to by lawsuits involving his widow and half brothers [including Thomas who was also at the founding of Ft. Boonseborough].

• John Luttrell is the 2nd cousin twice removed from our ancestor Timmons Literal.  To determine your relationship to John Luttrell count the generations from Timmons to you, add two to it and you would be second cousin # removed.  For instance there is Timmons, his son John(1), my father JD(2) and then me(3).  So I'm second cousin five times removed.     for more on the Battle of Lindleys Mill

Who Was:  Robert Luttrell?

Robert was the great grandfather of Timmons Seburn Literal.  According to Virginia records he served 2 months and 10 as a private in Capt. Ball's company of the Fauquier County Militia in the fall of 1881.

Rodham Literal?

According to Lincoln County, Kentucky Records the grandfather of Timmons Seburn Literal served as Captain in the 'Cornstalk Militia'  during the summer of 1800.

Eli Franklin Literal:

Eli Literal served in the 9th Tennessee Cavalry during the Civil War.  The father of Timmons Literal it is believed that he died at Tunnel Hill, Georgia and was buried in a mass grave there.

Who Was: John Pittman?

John Pittman, of Greenwood, Ms. appears in the video in a picture with his friend JD Littrell, they served together during the Korean War.  On 11-26 1950 in fighting near Kujangdong ( Kunu Ri ) JD was wounded by grenade fragments for which he would receive his third Purple Heart. The account of that event is best illustrated in the words of the citation (Congressional Medal of Honor) that acknowledged the heroism of John Pittman who saved the lives of JD and others that night:

“Sgt. Pittman, …volunteered to lead his squad in a counterattack to regain commanding terrain lost in an earlier engagement. Moving aggressively forward in the face of intense artillery, mortar, and small-arms fire he was wounded by mortar fragments. Disregarding his wounds he continued to lead and direct his men in a bold advance against the hostile standpoint. During this daring action, an enemy grenade was thrown in the midst of his squad endangering the lives of his comrades. Without hesitation, Sgt. Pittman threw himself on the grenade and absorbed its burst with his body. When a medical aid man reached him, his first request was to be informed as to how many of his men were hurt. This intrepid and selfless act saved several of his men from death or serious injury and was an inspiration to the entire command. Sgt. Pittman's extraordinary heroism reflects the highest credit upon himself and is in keeping with the esteemed traditions of the military service.”

The added significance of John Pittman's heroism and a testament to the fighting in Korea was the fact that after almost a year of fighting John Pittman was the first Medal Of Honor winner in Korea to live to receive his medal.

Who Was: Zachariah Belew?

Zachariah was the great great grandfather of Kizzie Zore Comer who married John Daniel Littrell, son of Timmons Literal.  He served in the South Carolina Militia as part of Col. Brandon's Regiment during the Revolutionary War.

Who Was: Harbert H. Ezell?

Harbert Ezell, unlike most of his family and neighbors from Lawrence County, Tennessee served in the Union Army during the civil War.  He is the grandfather of Kizzie Zore Comer who married John Daniel Littrell and Donie Ezell who married John's brother James Carroll Littrell.   

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The above information is from: Military Role Call: The Littrell Family of Mississippi County, Missouri, The Littrell Family Journals Volume IV. (click here)
also:  Littrell Family Veterans Video

reposted from 2011:   832 / 848

New Madrid Veterans Memorial:

View Full Album

Cpl. Raymond Savat
176th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
Kumhwa, Korea

Raymond is 4th from the bottom on his panel.

Information and pictures from this Memorial will be added to the next printing of the Military Roll Call book.    GlennDL

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The Armistice And The Treaty of Versailles:

The reference to the armistice and the “...11^th hour of the 11^th month...” should not be confused with the Treaty of Versailles. The armistice was the agreement to end hostility while peace treaties could be negotiated.

The Treaty of Versailles was just one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. The other Central Powers on the German side of World War I were dealt with in separate treaties.

Although the armistice signed on November 11, 1918, ended the actual fighting, it took six months of negotiations at the Paris Peace Conference to conclude the peace treaty.

The armistice date was the most significant date for the fighting men and the victor nations involved as the late date signing of the Versailles and multiple other treaties were anticlimactic, at least until they were actually signed.

The reference to Rethondes may be a little confusing: Rethondes is a little village deep in the forest of Compiègne. The original source material used referenced Rethondes as the site the treaty was signed at, but the signing occurred next to the village not in it which explains why other sources refer to Rethondes or Compiegne or both. The French commander-in-chief Marshal Foch convened the armistice talks beside the tiny village with an eye towards secrecy because he wanted to shield the meeting from intrusive journalists, as well as spare the German delegation any hostile demonstrations by French locals.

Historically the Treaty of Versailles is sighted as a point of contention that led to a climate of frustration and resentment among the German people for decades after the treaty. The terms of the treaty were harsh upon the German people and was one of the circumstances that helped form a social and economic climate that accommodated the rise of Adolph Hitler and the Nazi party. But, just like the armistice date took on a more significant role to the victors than the treaty date so did the armistice site take on a more significant role to the defeated than the treaty location of Versailles. As important as the the treaty was to the German mindset the actual armistice site was held as a major embarrassment to the people as well:

When Adolf Hitler received word from the French government that they wished to negotiate an armistice, Hitler selected Compiègne Forest near Compiègne as the site for the negotiations. As Compiègne was the site of the 1918 Armistice ending the Great War with a humiliating defeat for Germany, Hitler decided to sign the armistice in the same rail carriage where the Germans had signed the 1918 armistice.... a supreme moment of revenge for Germany.

...In the very same railway carriage in which the 1918 Armistice was signed (removed from a museum building and placed on the precise spot where it was located in 1918), Hitler sat in the same chair in which Marshal Ferdinand Foch had sat when he faced the representatives of the defeated German Empire. After listening to the reading of the preamble, Hitler – in a calculated gesture of disdain to the French delegates – left the carriage, as Foch had done in 1918, leaving the negotiations to his High Command of the Armed Forces Chief, General Wilhelm Keitel.

Even in the per-amble of the 1940 Armistice was the reference to the 1918 Armistice: “...which was felt by the German peoples as the deepest humiliation of all time.”

Three days later, on Hitler's orders, the Armistice site was demolished by the Germans. The carriage itself was taken to Berlin as a trophy of war, along with pieces of a large stone tablet which bore the inscription (in French):

“HERE ON THE ELEVENTH OF NOVEMBER 1918 SUCCUMBED THE CRIMINAL PRIDE OF THE GERMAN REICH. VANQUISHED BY THE FREE PEOPLES WHICH IT TRIED TO ENSLAVE.”

The Alsace-Lorraine Monument (depicting a German eagle impaled by a sword) was destroyed and all evidence of the site was obliterated, with the notable exception of the statue of Marshal Foch: Hitler intentionally ordered it to be left intact so that it would be honoring only a wasteland. The railway carriage itself was taken to Crawinkel in Thuringia in 1945, where it was destroyed by SS troops and the remained buried *footnote.

After the second world war, German POW labor was used to restore the armistice site to its former state. The stone tablet's pieces were recovered and reassembled, and a replica of the railway carriage placed at the restored site and the Alsace-Lorraine monument was rebuilt.

After the reunification of Germany in 1989, those who witnessed the event came forth with earlier relics. Various components were returned to the French General Gamache in Compiègne in 1992. In 1994 a small oak commemorating the "hope for peace" was dug up from the destruction site in Crawinkel and transplanted to Compiègne.

by Glenn Littrell

159 

*footnote: other sources say it was destroyed in a British air raid.

Südthüringer Zeitung (South Thuringia Newspaper) on 11 May 1991, "Hitler's Salon Wagon Found in the village of Crawinkel".

Commager, Henry Steele (1945). The Story of the Second World War. Boston: Little, Brown.

Friedrich, Otto (4 September 1989). "Desperate Years". Time.

Elaine, Sciolino (2 November 2008). "North of Paris, a Forest of History and Fantasy". New York Times.

http://www.kbismarck.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=2991

http://stevenlehrer.com/compiegne.htm