Give Thanks Spotlight: Military Families
U.S. Air Force Academy Public Affairs / Nov. 21, 2017
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. — Note: This week we are giving thanks to military families by highlighting permanent party, cadets and family members whose families have served in the U.S. military for more than three generations.
C3C Brad Ellis
Great-Grandfather: Military service for the Ellis family dates back to World War I, when C3C Ellis’ great-grandfather, Clarence Ellis, enlisted in the Army. His great-grandfather finished the war fighting with the famous “Lost Brigade” and remained in France until March 1919.
Grandfather: Ralph Ellis went to England as a civilian early in WWII to do electronics and radar work. The U.S. military eventually gave him a choice: he could swear into the U.S. military in England as a sergeant or go back to the U.S. as a civilian on a returning troop ship. He made the wise choice to stay in England and enlist in the U.S. Army. As the war progressed, he moved with the Air Corps to an air base south of Paris. Then as the war’s end approached, he moved forward again to Weisbaden Army Airfield, Germany, where he served until 1946.
Father: David Ellis, a 1973 U.S. Air Force Academy graduate, grew up looking at his father’s WWII photo albums and wanted to be a pilot in the worst way. He flew H-53s during the 1970s and eventually switched over to the Air Force Reserve when his active-duty commitment was up where he flew special operations H-3s for 12 years before transitioning to fixed-wing AC-130s and HC-130s for 17 more years of service.
Brother: Brent Ellis is the oldest brother of C3C Ellis and currently is a major serving on active-duty, flying F-16s for 11 years.
C3C Morgan Harrison
Great-Grandfather: John Benjamin Harrison Sr. fought in WWII in North Africa and Southern Italy from 1942-1943 in the U.S. Army infantry. Harrison was wounded in Italy and received a Purple Heart.
Grandfather: John Benjamin Jr. followed in his father’s footsteps and fought in the U.S. Army infantry during Vietnam from 1969-1970.
Father: Chris Harrison enlisted in 1990 and served in both Operation Desert Watch and Operation Desert Storm. He received his commission in 2005 and is currently a major in the Air Force Reserve at U.S. Central Command.