Captain James Edward Murrell (1918-1980)
(November 17, 1918 – January 13,1980)
Captain James Edward Murrell was born on November 17, 1918, in Brooklyn, New York.
His parents were Jacob and Ollie Thornhill Murrell. He was reared in Camden, New Jersey and attended the Camden Public Schools graduating from Woodrow Wilson High School.
He met and married Lena Banks and reared 9 children.
He was inducted into the Army at Fort Dix, New Jersey on August 12, 1941. Two weeks later he was sent to basic training in Augusta, Georgia and then to Oscoda, Michigan.
On July 3, 1942, he was sent to the Army Flying School in Tuskegee, Alabama where he served in several support positions in the 96th Maintenance Group.
In 1944, his unit was shipped out with the air men from Newport News, VA to Italy.
He arrived as a Private 1st class and left a year and a half later as a Master Sgt. Within this time frame, he was promoted five times.
While in Italy, his unit witnessed the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius.
He returned from Italy and was discharged from the Army Airforce on November 4, 1945.
He later joined the Army Reserves and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in 1949.
He was promoted to Captain before he retired.
James E. Murrell worked for over 25 years at Campbell Soup company as a Time Study Analyst. In the early 1960’s, while working at Campbell Soup, he was named Deputy Director of the Civil Defense educating the community on building fallout shelters in case of nuclear fallout.
After becoming ill, he retired from Campbell Soup Company and later died on January 13, 1980. He leaves a legacy of determination and achievement that exemplifies how one individual’s passion and dedication can create a lasting impact on his family, church and country.
