Cannon Family Military History

2nd Lt John J Cannon was a member of Company I, 1st Regiment Maryland Volunteer Cavalry enlisting as a Private on 30 Sep 1861 in Williamsport, Maryland and was honorably discharged at Baltimore, Maryland on 29 April 1862. This unit's original designation was the 1st Virginia Cavalry.

During his service, he was a participant of the famous "Valley Campaign" waged by Confederate General "Stonewall" Jackson against the North. 2nd Lt John J Cannon was commissioned on 18 Feb 1862. Lieutenant Cannon participated in the famous ‘Valley Campaign’ of 1862. In John J Cannon’s military file, obtained from the National Archives in Washington, D.C. there is the claim by him that he contracted bronchitis at Alpine Station, Virginia in January 1862 under the following circumstances: “being whipped by Jackson (Stonewall) – tents burned and had to lay out in the cold…” In another instance, Lt Cannon reported that on 18 Feb 1862 he had “…a horse shot out from under me and was caught and mashed by the horse…” John J Cannon earned his commission that day.

Lt John J Cannon was honorably discharged by Order No. 114 on 29 Apr 1862.

His was the generation which saw the expansion of the United States west, the issuing of the Emancipation Proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln, and the utter defeat of the Confederacy during the War Between the States, or the War of the Rebellion as it was known in the vernacular of his day.

Pvt John Wm Marcellus Cannon served in the US Army Air Corps famed 8th Air Force during WW II. He served in the 520th Transportation Corps as a military driver.

Pvt Marcellus Cannon once drove the command Jeep for General Eisenhower.

John Wm Marcellus Cannon survived the War and was honorably discharged 16 Nov 1945. His was the generation that ‘had a rendezvous with destiny’. The ‘Greatest Generation’ saved the World from Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Imperial Japan. Following the stunning defeat of the Axis Powers, this generation built the greatest economy and superpower the world has ever known.

In 1947, the Army Air Corps in which Marcellus Cannon served became the United States Air Force.

Pfc Robert B Cannon was a member of the US Army, 265th Supply Corps. Pfc Cannon entered the service in 1962. During his military service time, President John F Kennedy successfully negotiated the Cuban Missile Crisis. American involvement in VietNam was just beginning as well. Pfc Cannon served honorably was discharged 15 Dec 1965.

Robert B Cannon Sr lived with the Baby Boom generation which saw the country turned on its heels…the Civil Rights Movement, the riots, the VietNam War, and the bleeding of a generation on that war’s battlefields.

Sgt Cannon was an Information Systems Operator. Robert B Cannon II served the nation during the end of the Cold War under the presidencies of Reagan and Bush41. Important events during his military service time include: The Great Communicator’s famous speech (President Reagan who worked hand-in-hand with John Paul the Great to defeat the Soviets without a shot) in which he issued a challenge to the Soviet leader of the ‘evil empire’ stating, “Mr Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” He was of course, referring to the Berlin Wall, the ultimate symbol of repression in the Communist bloc.

During the watch of Bush41, the Wall came down, the Soviet Empire collapsed, and the United States emerged as the sole SuperPower. Bush 41 then successfully prosecuted a conflict against Panama and against Saddam Hussein in Iraq.

Robert B Cannon served in the 8th AF (as did Marcellus Cannon) NATO US Forces Azores, Portugal. Serving with honor being awarded medals for Good Conduct, Air Force Achievement Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal. He was honorably discharged on 20 Aug 1990.

A GenXer, a member of the 13th Generation, his generation came of age in a post-modern world in which various separate-but-equal systems of domination had been committed to the dustbin of history, an AIDS epidemic was taking its toll, and eventually entered the 1990s and awaited the Millenium.

This generation is still making history; as I write this our nation is engaged in yet another War – this time the War on Terror, and the ggg-grandson of Lt John J Cannon – Sgt 1st Class Johnny Cannon Proctor has served in that War being awarded the Bronze Star.

The following Cannons also served in the military: A1C John Cannon Jr (USAF) - Spain; his son, mentioned above, Sgt 1st Class Johnny Cannon Proctor (USA) – Haiti, Korea, Iraq; his step-daughter, Spc Kelly Whitacre (USA); Navy Seaman C. Edward Cannon Sr (USN) - Cuba; and his son, Sgt C Edward Cannon Jr (USA 82nd ABN).

Click the Federal Solider to learn more about my family's participation in the War Between the States.