TSgt James W. Gorrell
Spotting "James W Gorrell" on the memorial plaque at St. Charles Borromeo in Drexel Hill forced me to question if he was a relative. It was a family name and he was from the parish that served my family for generations in Drexel Hill and Clifton Heights. It turns out he is my "first cousin 1x removed". We're connected because my great grandfather and his father were brothers. After reading first hand accounts about his role fighting to free Europe from the grip of facism, I couldn't be more proud of the connection. James was an only child born on March 26, 1924 to Edward Gorrell and Regina Townsend Gorrell. Sadly, he lost his father in 1938 and his mother in 1941 (James was 17). James continued to live in Clifton Heights after the death of his parents with Mr. & Mrs. Harry Duke, his uncle and aunt at 17 E. Baltimore Ave (maybe the remains are hidden behind a current storefront). He graduated from Clifton Height High School in 194...