Robert Jackson Ellison, a Gainesville, Florida, resident, born on July 6, 1944, moved around the world with his family while he was growing up. In this collection, Robert is called Rob, Bob, and Robbin in addition to Robert. After his father died, his mother re-married in 1946 to Commander Russel Eaton. Robert attended a military academy to finish his high school diploma, and then moved to Gainesville, Florida for college. While in Gainesville, his interests turned from herpetology to photography and he began working for the school newspaper, the Alligator, and yearbook. While working for the Alligator, Robert was assigned to cover the Civil Rights movement. In 1966, he was approached by Jim Pickerell about a job as a freelance photographer for his company, Empire, in Vietnam. He moved to Vietnam in 1966, traveling around Vietnam and neighboring countries taking photographs for stories and magazines. In March 1968, Robert headed for Khe Sanh when the battle for Khe Sanh began, and spent about three weeks on the base. He briefly left Khe Sanh to turn in photographs and re-supply. Upon his re-entry to Khe Sanh on a C-123, the plane he was on was shot down in enemy territory. There was much confusion surrounding his death as he was not on the flight manifest, having hopped on the airplane without being added. Later, Robert was declared presumed dead along with the rest of the Marines on his flight. His body was never recovered, but he was included in a burial ceremony in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri.
Albert Jackson “Jack” Ellison was born in 1921 in Illinois. He met his wife Miriam at Monticello College in Alton, Illinois, where he attending Western Military Academy. Miriam and Albert married and moved to Ames, Iowa. Albert was stationed in the Philippines for the birth of their only son, Robert Jackson Ellison. Albert was killed in action in February 1945 and is buried in Metro Manila, National Capital, Philippines.
