MYMENTORS.page

MY HEROES

WELCOME TO MY TRIBUTE PAGE. THIS PAGE IS DEDICATED TO THE TWO PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THE LARGEST INPACT ON THE PERSON THAT I AM TODAY. MY GRANDFATHER (WILLIAM S. GAMBRELL) AND MY FATHER (LON R. GAMBRELL). BOTH OF THESE PEOPLE SERVED THEIR COUNTRY SELFLESSLY PLACING THIER FAMILY AND COUNRTY BEFORE THIER OWN NEEDS. THEY TAUGHT ME LOYALTY, INTEGRITY, AND HARD WORK ETHICS. THEY MADE ME REALIZE THAT MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE FOR OTHER PEOPLE AND TAKING CARE OF MY FAMILY ARE THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IN MY LIFE.

MY GRAND FATHER RECIEVING HIS SECOND BRONZE STAR AT FT GORDAN, GA.

WILLIAM S. GAMBRELL WAS BORN IN SOUTH CAROLINA. HE GREW UP IN A SMALL MILL TOWN IN WHITMIRE, SC. THEY WERE VERY POOR AND HAD TO GO MANY TIMES WITH NOTHING TO EAT. HIS FATHER WAS NEVER AROUND SO HE HAD TO GROW UP HARD AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS WHAT MADE HIM SO FAMILY ORIENTED. HE WAS DRAFTED FOR WORLD WAR II BUT THE WAR ENDED BEFORE HE SAW ANY ACTION AND HIS BRIEF STINT IN THE MARINES WAS OVER. HE MOVED BACK TO WHITMIRE WERE HE MET MY GRANDMOTHER AND THEY WERE SOON MARRIED WITH KIDS. HE SPENT 14 YEARS IN THE NATIONAL GUARD WHILE HE WORKED IN THE COTTON MILL. ONE DAY HE CAME HOME AND DECIEDED THAT HE COULD PROVIDE MORE FOR HIS FAMILY AND WENT BACK ON ACTIVE DUTY IN THE U.S. ARMY AS AN INFANTRY MAN. HE SERVED THERE UNTILL HE RETIRED. HE SAW TWO TOURS IN VIETNAM ONE IN 64 AND THE OTHER IN 68. WHILE SERVING IN VIETNAM HE EARNED FOUR BRONZE STARS.

WILLIAM S. GAMBRELL IN VIETNAM

MY GRAND FATHER RECIEVING AN AWARD

WILLIAM S. GAMBRELL

LON R. GAMBRELL READING IN THE BARRACKS AS A YOUNG SOLDIER

IN 68 HE TOOK HIS SON'S PLACE IN VIETNAM (AS HE ONLY HAD ONE SON) SO THAT THE FAMILY NAME COULD LIVE ON. HE WAS A DRILL INSTRUCTOR AND BECAME A 1SG WHICH IS WHAT HE RETIRED AS. HE ALWAYS PUSHED EDUCATION FOR HIS FAMILY. HAVING ONLY MADE IT THROUGH THE 8TH GRADE HE WENT BACK GOT HIS GED AND COMPLETED HIS ASSOCIATES IN ONLY ONE YEAR WHILE STILL SERVING ON ACTIVE DUTY. AFTER HE RETIRED HE WENT BACK TO SCHOOL TO STUDY AIR CONDITION AND REFRIGERATION. HE HAS FOUR CHILDREN (LON, SHERRY, BELINDA, CATHIE) WHO HAVE ALL BECOME SUCCESSFUL IN THIER OWN INDIVIDUAL WAYS. HE HAS SEVEN GRAND CHILDREN (LON JR., TOM, LANCE, DENNIS, GLEN, LIANE, AND RILEY) AND THREE GREATGRAND CHILDREN (SHANE, LON III. AND DANIEL). HE HAS BEEN WITH HIS WIFE FOR MORE THAN 53 YEARS NOW AND THEY PRESENTLY RESIDE IN PROSPERITY, SC. WHERE THEY LIVE IN THIER LOG CABIN NEAR LAKE MURRY SINCE 1980.

LON R. GAMBRELL WAS BORN DECEMBER 31 1948 IN WHITMIRE SC. HE GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL IN 1968 AND ENLISTED IN THE U.S. ARMY AS AN MP. AFTER SERVING FOR 3 YEARS HE EXITED THE MILITARY AND MOVED TO FLORIDA WHERE HE MET MY MOTHER (DORTHY ROYAL). THEY WERE SOON MARRIED AND A FEW YEARS LATER HAD THIER FIRST SON. HE REENTERED THE MILITARY AS A COMBAT ENGINEER. HE SERVED AROUND THE WORLD FOR MANY YEARS WHEN IN 1990 (WHILE ATTACHED TO THE 101ST AIRBORNE) HE WAS CALLED UPON TO GO TO OPERATION DESERT STORM. HE SERVED FOR 7 MONTHS IN THE GULF BEFORE HE RETURNED HOME TO HIS FAMILY. HE RETIRED LATER AS A SFC AND MOVED BACK TO HIS HOME IN WHITMIRE SC.

WHILE MY DAD WAS AWAY IN THE GULF WAS WHEN I REALLY DISCOVERED THAT I NEEDED HIM. I HAD SPENT MOST OF MY TEENAGE YEARS (LIKE ANY OTHER TEEN) TRYING TO AVOID MY PARENTS. IT TOOK THE GULF WAR TO MAKE ME REALIZE HOW MUCH HE REALLY MEANT TO ME. I WAS GLAD WHEN HE CAME HOME AND I TRY TO STAY IN CONTACT WITH HIM AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. IF THERE WERE A PERSON THAT I COULD MODEL MYSELF AFTER IT WOUL BE HIM. SFC GAMBRELL HAS BEEN MARRIED FOR OVER 29 YEARS NOW AND HAS TWO SONS (LON JR. AND DENNIS). LON JR. IS 26 AND HAS MARRIED PAM GLASS AND THE HAVE GIVEN HIM THREE GRANDCHILDREN (SHANE, LON III, DANIEL). DENNIS GAMBRELL IS CURRENTLY 24 YEARS OLD AND IS TRYING TO MAKE IT INTO THE WORLD RECORD BOOKS AS THE OLDEST MAN TO STILL LIVE WITH HIS PARENTS.

THIS IS THE SECOND DEPLOYMENT THAT I HAVE BEEN ON. I WAS DEPLOYED TO OPERATION RESTORE DEMOCRACY IN HAITI AND NOW TO OPERATION JOINT GUARDIAN IN KOSOVO. MY WIFE WENT TO SOMALIA IN 93-94. ITS FUNNY THOUGH. IT TOOK ME GOING ON THIS DEPLOYMENT TO UNDERSTAND THE SACRIFICES THAT THEY WENT THROUGH. THE THINGS THAT YOU NEVER CAN GET BACK SUCH AS BIRTHDAYS AND HOLIDAYS. THE GREAT MOMENTS IN YOUR FAMILIES LIVES THAT YOU CAN BE TOLD ABOUT BUT YOU WILL NEVER GET THOSE MEMORIES. THANKYOU DAD AND GRANDPA FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN.