Randal A Burd Jr

So, I’ve been freelancing on Fiverr.com since 2014. It’s been an interesting and rewarding journey. Freelancing is a side hustle for me, and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. I started by checking out all the similar freelancing platforms, making accounts, posting profiles, and deciding what services to offer. I found some success on a couple of other platforms, but nothing as comprehensive as what was offered on Fiverr.com.

Ernest Smelcer was born in or near Crocker, Pulaski County, Missouri, on December 15, 1903, to James Benjamin Smelcer and Sarah Elizabeth (McMillian) Smelcer. He was the youngest of nine children. Ernest attended school at the Brown School House in Hancock, Missouri. Family recollections and legends recount his proficiency at playing the fiddle, how he wrecked his car while dating the Brown School House teacher (supposedly he was forbidden to drive afterwards for a short time), his fascinatio...

“With two comrades voluntarily took position on board the steamer Cheeseman, in charge of all the guns and ammunition of the battery, and remained in charge of the same for a considerable time while the steamer was unmanageable and subjected to a heavy fire from the enemy.”

Among the many brothers in blue with connections to Missouri who received the Medal of Honor in the American Civil War, several received their award for conspicuous service during the Vicksburg campaign in the late spring and summer of 1863. A majority of these were recognized for their deeds in a single charge; in fact, no single military action in U.S. military history has precipitated more Medal of Honor recipients than the charge of the “Forlorn Hope” at Vicksburg, Mississippi, on the 22nd of May 1863.

What do the Worrill Grays, Chalmers’ Division, and the 50th Virginia Infantry all have in common?

All three Confederate units had their colors captured by Medal of Honor recipients who are buried in Missouri. Of the 35 Medal of Honor recipients honored for acts of valor during the Civil War who are buried in Missouri, 12 of these individuals received their award for either capturing the flag of the enemy or defending the colors of their regiment from imminent capture. So, what is the significance of capturing a flag in battle?

In addition to the Union soldiers and sailors of the Civil War who received the Medal of Honor and are buried in Missouri, the Department of Missouri (Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War) is currently aware of three such Medal of Honor recipients who are buried in the State of Arkansas. Acting Master’s Mate William J. Franks of the U.S.S. Marmora, Armorer George Taylor of the U.S.S. Lackawanna, and Private John Kennedy of Company M, 2nd U.S. Artillery were each awarded the Medal of Honor for their conspicuous service during the Civil War.

Inspiration at Vicksburg: Poetry Beyond the Forlorn Hope
In the December 31, 2018, edition of the Missouri Unionist you’ll find an article remembering the brave actions of Civil War Medal of Honor recipient Henry Platt Pearsall and the other volunteers who formed the storming party in Vicksburg, MS, on 22 May 1863 nicknamed “The Forlorn Hope.” Among these brave boys in blue, 78 received the Medal of Honor for “gallantry in the charge of the volunteer storming party.”
Cpl. Pearsall was buried ...

Lorenzo Dow Immell was a 1st Lieutenant in Company F of the 2nd U.S. Artillery. His bravery in action as a Corporal at the Battle of Wilson‘s Creek on August 10, 1861, not only helped him acquire an officer‘s commission, but earned him the Medal of Honor. When perusing the list of venerated Medal of Honor recipients buried in Missouri or attached to Missouri regiments, this name stood out not just due to its relative uniqueness, but also its personal familiarity. It was his first two names in...

The Akune family had 4 brothers who fought in World War II.

But it wasn’t until the war was over that the incredible story, as detailed in records, surfaced.

Though they had all fought in the same war, they had not fought on the same side. Two had fought for the U.S. and two for Japan.

The following traditions involving death were once commonly observed in the United States and elsewhere in the English-speaking world. While you may find the occasional instance of one of these traditions being practiced today, they are mostly relegated to history.

Growing up in the Ozarks, the James brothers have the added distinction for me of being local legends. Jesse James and his brother Frank were members of Quantrill’s Raiders, a Confederate bushwhacker group during the Civil War. After the Civil War ended, the brothers formed various criminal gangs which engaged...

The following five weight loss supplements were once among the most popular on the U.S. market. But it is all fun and games until someone ends up dead. Found to have deadly side-effects, these supplements were quickly banned or voluntarily withdrawn from the market under the direction of the Food and Drug Administration.

Todd Davis has done an excellent job showing consumers what NOT to do, including the negative consequences of sharing your sensitive personal information.

Oscar Wilde explained it best, “Some cause happiness wherever they go, others whenever they go.”

Perhaps motivational posters do have a place in the work environment, but they are not magical keys to productivity, and there is the possibility they will do more harm than good.