Portfolio Category: Hero Histories

PFC Thomas Ellis Gipson and SGT Clifton Lee “Pete” Gipson were brothers from the Madison Run area of Orange County that were drafted into the army less than a month apart and both lost their lives in Europe.  Pressure from the family forced details of Pete’s death to be not in vain.  Read the story…

Sergeant Tyrus Heber “Ty” Tisdale was raised in the Eheart area of Orange County and attend James Barbour High School and Fork Union Military Academy.  He couldn’t wait to join the army and did so at eighteen.  His abilities allowed him to move up the ranks fast and eventually be a part of the famed…

Major Robert W. Raup attended Orange County High School and graduated with a degree in chemical engineering from Virginia Tech.  He had his entire life planned for himself with a promising career, when he accepted the call to be a P-39 pilot.  He married an Army nurse stationed in Italy and only enjoyed a short…

LT Severn M. Nottingham, Jr., was locally educated, had a law degree from UVA, and was serving with Naval Reserve.  He was sitting on easy street positioned in his father’s law firm in Orange.  When he saw the prospects of a world war beginning to take shape in September 1940, he never hesitated to volunteer…