Greetings to everyone!

         I'm seeking information on 2nd Lt. Edward H. Morrison, as to what happened to him. He was listed as KIA in the 38th BG website (70th BS
belonged to 38th BG 'till 1943 - www.sunsetters38bg.com) but no date of death indicated and also no details as to what happened leading to his death. 

          Anyone knows from what US State he came from? I'll also appreciate if there's any photo of him?

          Thanks a lot.

                                                                                               Cris

Cris
'REMEMBER OUR HEROES'

Poncecd:

I just got back from the library, where I had a chance to go through my AFHRA microfilm history roll on the 70th BS, roll A0560, which covers the squadron from war's beginning through May 1945.

No luck in finding any reference to a 2Lt Edward H. Morrison, KIA, with the 70th BS.  Either it happened after May 1945, or Morrison was not assigned to the 70th BS when he was killed.

Here is a very speculative guess:  For a time at the end of November 1944 and into December 1944, several planes and crews of the 70th BS were once again flying with the 38th BG, on detached service.  George Jones ("b25jones" on this forum), a radio-gunner from the 70th was among those on this detached service.  He remembers a navigator from the 38th who was on his plane during a mission (December 1?) that was killed.  Unfortunately George does not recall this person's name, and himself has wanted to know who it was.  If Morrison was a navigator, it may be him.  And being he was killed on a 70th BS airplane, it would explain this death being labeled with that squadron on the 38th BG website, but being that the crew/plane was on detached service to the 38th BG, it might explain why it is not listed in the 70th BS history.  Just speculation, with no means to prove it unless something can be found in the microfilmed history records of the 38th BG.

Kevin Anderson

        Thank you Kevin.
 
        My old relatives in Cebu, Philippines met him in 1945 (between January to June). So the one who died Dec. 1944 may not be him. Another query though, the book about the History of  42nd Bomb Group (found at boxnet), in Chapter 5, mentioned a Lt. Morrison who joined the 70th BS mid October 1941 (together with Lieutenants Sherlock, Sethness, Treat, Martin, Miller, et al). Was the book referring to Lt. Edward H. Morrison? Was he the one who had
an accident with plane no. 64 when the main landing gear collapsed in December 1942?
 
           Searching in US Army Air Force accident reports had on record a certain Edward H. Morrison for 1942 also. Was it him in plane no. 64? I was not able to view the report in that site.
 
        Or was the book rather referring to Lt. William D. Morrison as the one who joined the 70th BS mid October 1941? I was rather confused since in Chapter 9 of the book, a certain Lt. William D. Morrison was also mentioned? Do you have any record of Lt. Edward H. Morrison joining the 70th BS? Any photo with the group or record?                                  
 
         Thank you.
                                            
                                                                                            Cris  

Cris
'REMEMBER OUR HEROES'

Cris,
I saw the same references to Lt Morrison in the 42nd BG history book.  Near as I can tell from the 70th BS records, that is William C. Morrison, who was then killed in (?)1943 (Sorry, I sheet of paper with the date on it is at home), and the same one who had the landing gear collapse.

A 2nd Lt rank suggests to me someone who has been overseas only 6-8 months, and so likely someone who came out to the Pacific in 1944, if not 1945.  Or someone not on regular flying duty, and therefore promoted slower.

Or we are dealing with more than one Edward H. Morrison.

Edward H. Morrison does not show up in the ABMC website, so he is not buried in a military cemetery.  He does not show up on the DOD MIA list, so he was killed and not lost.  One suggestion is that you page through the online book, World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel, http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/ww2/army-casualties/, and see who lists him, and then do further Google research in those states.  That worked for me in finding some personnel, crewmembers who used to fly with my uncle.

Good luck.  I'm sorry my microfilm record for the 70th BS didn't yield anything.

Kevin Anderson

Cris,
This webpage, http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/AARmonthly/Apr1943O.htm, suggests there was an overseas accident on Fiji on April 19, 1943, involving a pilot with the 70th BS by the name of Edward H. Morrison.  The airplane is a B-26 (tail number 41-17576) and it was a crash after takeoff.  This is just a database entry.

My interpretation is that we may be dealing with two Edward H. Morrison's.  The KIA reported on the 38th BG site is possibly this Morrison, and that your father is a different Morrison by the same name.  I need to check my notes at home to see if this date matches what I wrote down yesterday for the crash involving William Morrison, as there could also be a typographic error in one or the other record.

I don't know if I am helping or hurting your research at this point.

Kevin Anderson

       Thank you very much Kevin!
 
       You can't imagine how BIG the HELP you are doing in my research! I did try to search in the ABMC database, the gravesite (national cemetery locator), MIA database and find no reference of an Edward H. Morrison. I've also been paging through the online book, World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel,  to check which US State he is listed to narrow down my search and find a match through People Finder in Google/Yahoo. I've scanned through, about seven possible US States yet
and each of the possible County (prior to posting my query here), but did not find his name yet. I plan to finish scanning through all of the US States in that database. 
 
       Wow! the accident report you pointed at http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/AARmonthly/Apr1943O.htm,
involving a pilot named Edward H. Morrison of the 70th BS, 42nd
BG on Fiji on April 19, 1943, I guess, is a breakthrough. I just hope I'll be able to confirm if that pilot actually died (meaning, he was the one listed as KIA as surmised) or survived the crash; this will surely affect the direction of my search to him or to another namesake assigned in Southern Philippines 1945. Lt. William D. Morrison, though, was still alive October 27, 1943 per Chapter 9 of the 42nd BG History book.

       I'm actually beginning to doubt if the 2nd Lt. Edward H. Morrison was really KIA.

       You are helping me Kevin! A lot!
 
       Please update me. Thank you.

                                                                                              Cris
 

Cris
'REMEMBER OUR HEROES'

Cris,
I assume you found this enlistment record from the NARA database:
<http://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=3&cat=WR26&tf=F&sc=24994,24995,24996,24998,24997,24993,24981,24983&q=MORRISON%23EDWARD%23H&bc=sl,fd&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=1696073&rlst=1696073,8028165,936804>
for Edward H. Morrison.

And I assume you've perused this photograph, wondering if Morrison is among them:
http://forum.armyairforces.com/m_112685/tm.htm

Kevin Anderson

           Thank you Kevin,
 
           Yes, you're right. I've viewed that enlistment record of one from Stanislaus, California. He died in 1991. I don't know if its a coincidence that he was reported deceased in "EVER HONORED" column of their original NEWSLETTER also in 1991 (Sept. '91 issue). I just have to confirmed if 2nd Lt. Edward H. Morrison really died in the April 19, 1943 accident (thank you for pointing me to the site).
 
            With the picture, I tried to open it ten times before but always unsuccessful, this is the first time I successfully viewed it now that you've linked it. Wow! Yes, I wonder if Morrison is among them.
 
             Thank you so much Kevin.
 
             Please inform me for new updates.           
 
                                                                  
                                                                                                     Cris
                                                                                    
            

Cris
'REMEMBER OUR HEROES'

      Kevin,
 
               This webpage http://www.38thbgpsun-setter.com/Files/News%20Letters/Sept%201991.pdf contains the NEWSLETTER (Sept. 1991) where the
name of Edward H. Morrison (of the 70th BS) was reported deceased in the "IN EVER-HONORED MEMORY" column.
 
                Thank you.
 
                                                                                              Cris
 

Cris
'REMEMBER OUR HEROES'

Okay.  So the way the 38thBG set up their current website, with the scrolling list of personnel who died along the right side, mislead you (and me) into thinking that Edward H. Morrison died during the war.  This now suggests that the Stanislaus person may be the one and only person by that name, and that no one may have died in the 1943 crash.  The only way to get confirmation of that is to obtain the 1943 accident report.

Try this:  contact the AFHSO office (address in the Research section on this forum's website) and see if they can mail you a copy of the 1943 accident report.  You should be able to receive this report from the government without paying the expensive costs that sites like accidentreports.com would otherwise charge.

Kevin Anderson

   Kevin,
 
         I haven't confirmed yet the identity, and still continuing with my research, but no matter, I just want to thank you for taking your time to help me. You're an asset to this site's forum. I'm very glad there's someone like you who took the effort to help me out and immediately replied to my query.

        Everyday, I still view any new and interesting items posted. Whatever comes out in this search, I will later post it here. Your dedication is contagious!
 
        Thank you very very much Kevin. 
 
                                                                                                     Cris
 

Cris
'REMEMBER OUR HEROES'

Hi Kevin,

        I have just confirmed that the Edward Morrison I was looking for is not the one with the 70th Bomb Squadron, not the one who was from Stanislaus, California. He never came to the Philippines. After the accident in April 19, 1943, he was shipped back to the States, was hospitalized and never returned to war. The Edward "Eddy" Morrison, I'm looking for, however, was in southern Philippines in 1945.
         Let me just correct some details: The one from Oakdale, Stanislaus, California is a First Lt. Edward H. Morrison. He was not KIA but survived the war and became a successful career man until he passed away January 1991.
         He was awarded no less than the Oak Leaf Cluster, in lieu of an additional Air Medal for "meritorious achievement as a bomber pilot in the southwest Pacific area from January 29 to April 17, 1943, while participating in sustained combat operational missions" To quote for "his great courage and untiring energy; his services reflect highest credit on the military forces of the United States."
          From what I gathered he once flew a B26 named "Irene" (41-17564). Though he flew other bomber planes after that.
          I wish he was the one I'm looking for Kevin, but with the help of Ken, who contacted you, 1st Lt. Edward Morrison's family specifically, his brother George and niece Pamela, I found out that he never made it to the Philippines after all.
          But this search is successful in a way of knowing about one great and courageous man, 1st Lt. Edward H. Morrison, a first pilot of a bomber from Oakdale, California and of gaining friends in the process.
          Thank you Kevin and best regards.

Cris

Cris
'REMEMBER OUR HEROES'

Hello to everyone, 

           Ken Terpstra posted some wonderful photos of Capt. Edward H. Morrison on this link:

http://b26.com/marauderman/edward_h_morrison.htm

          He also posted a dedication/biography of Capt. Edward H. Morrison placed on the Guestbook of above-cited site. 

          Since Edward H. Morrison of Oakdale, California, belonged to the 38th/42nd Bomb Group/70th Bomb Squadron, I find it just right to introduce this brave man in this forum site. 

          Hello Kevin, thank you for helping me out during my search in this wonderful site. You've been very helpful and patient with me!

          My best regards and thanks also to Kenneth Terpstra, his family
and to Capt. Edward Morrison's family, George, Pamela.

Cris

Cris
'REMEMBER OUR HEROES'