August 26, 1922 - July 19, 1944

Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery
St. Louis, Missouri

Gold Star Mother
Frances Fedora Orsak Morris

Technical Sergeant Eddie Morris, U.S. Army Air Forces [August 26, 1922 – July 19, 1944] was born to John Karl Morris [28 November 1888 – 15 June 1968] and Frances Fedora Orsak Morris [12 April 1886 – 1 February 1969] at Schulenburg, Fayette County, Texas. His siblings included four brothers, Ludwig, Louis, Eugene and Floyd. He had one sister, Elizabeth. The children attended the Midfield School.  When he enlisted on 16 October 1942 at Houston, Texas the family was living at Midfield, Texas, and he was working at Master C Taylor Shop [sic].  At the time of his death he was assigned to 384^th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 545 Bombardment Squadron, 41^st Combat Wing, 8^th Air Force as a Flight Engineer and Top Turret Gunner on a B-17 Flying Fortress. His unit was stationed at Grafton Underwood Base, Kettering, Northamptonshire, England. After completing a bomb run on Munich on 19 July 1944, the bomb squadron came under fighter attack, and during the attack, the #1 engine caught fire and seemed to explode. As the aircraft fell from the formation in a slow downward glide, one of the enemy fighters followed it down and continued to attack until it exploded and crashed on the bank of the Isar River near Wolfratshausen, Germany. Two crewmen survived, were captured and made POW’s. Those who perished in the crash were buried by the Germans in the riverbank, until transferred to the United States in 1945. Their remains were interred in a group burial plot in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri. They named their plane “Sweet Mama”.
 

News Of Our Men In Service

Headquarters, Eighth Air Force--Award of the Air Medal for "exceptionally meritorious achievement while participating in six separate bomber combat missions over enemy occupied Continental Europe" to Tech. Sgt. Edward J. Morris, 21, of Midfields, Texas, was announced recently "somewhere in England."

He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Morris, Midfields, Texas.

Sergeant Morris is a top turret gunner on a B-17 Flying Fortress.

The Daily Tribune, Monday, June 26, 1944
 

Sgt. E. Morris Of Midfields Awarded Oak Leaf Cluster

Award of the Oak Leaf Cluster to the Air Medal for "exceptionally meritorious achievement while participating in six separate bomber combat missions over enemy occupied Continental Europe" to Tech Sgt. Edward J. Morris, 21, of Midfield, Texas, was announced recently "somewhere in England."

Parents' address: Mr. and Mrs. John Morris, Midfields.

A top turret gunner on a B-17 Flying fortress Sergeant Morris has 12 bombing missions to his credit. He had previously received the Air Medal upon completing an earlier series of operations.

The Daily Tribune, Monday, July 3, 1944
 

SGT. ED MORRIS REPORTED MISSING EUROPEAN THEATRE

Mrs. John Frances Morris, mother of T/Sergeant Edward J. Morris of Midfields, received a laconic message from Washington telling her that her son was missing in action in Europe. The telegram read:―"The Secretary of War desires me to express his deep regret that your son, Technical Sergeant Edward J. Morris has been reported missing in action since nineteen July over Germany. If further details or other information is received you will be promptly notified." Signed: The Adjutant General

Just prior to this Mrs. Morris had received a note from her son and it carried news of a raid over Germany.

"On April 24, 1944," the message read, "the 41st Combat Wing under your command, executed a highly successful attack on important enemy airfields at Oberpffenhofen and Lansberg in southeastern German. The 41st "A" Combat Wing, comprised of two groups from the 379th bomb group and one from the 303rd Bomb group: and the 41st "B" Combat Wing, comprised of the 384th, 306th and a composite of the 384th-303rd Bomb Groups. On this operation, despite heavy losses, the 41st Combat Wing, under the leadership of Brigadier General Robert F. Travis, distinguished itself by penetrating throughout unusually severe resistance from enemy fighters and antiaircraft fire and bombing its objectives with excellent results."

The citation continued and at the end of the mimeographed sheet on which this was written, Sergeant Morris noted in pencil that he had engaged in this operation.

The Bay City Tribune, Thursday, August 10, 1944
 

MEMORIAL SERVICE HELD IN BLESSING FOR T-SGT. E. J. MORRIS

A Memorial service was held Tuesday, Aug. 21, at the Blessing Catholic church for T/Sgt. Edward J. Morris, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Morris, of Midfield, who has been missing in action in Germany for the past several months.

Upon direction from the United States War department, the service was held and was presided over by Rev. Fr. Baumann of the Blessing church, Rev. Fr. A. Webber former pastor at Blessing, and Rev. Fr. Joseph Halama.

A detail of enlisted men and officers from Foster Field, Victoria, assisted in the rites. The American Legion post of El Campo, was in charge of the flag ceremony and the color guards.

Members of Bay City Post No. 11, American Legion, responded to the invitation of the El Campo Post to take part in the ceremonies.

Following the memorial ritual, the El Campo Legion presented Mrs. Morris, mother of the deceased, with a beautiful United States flag.

A Bugler from Foster Field sounded "Taps" and the tribute of the firing squad was in charge of the Foster Field detail.       

The Daily Tribune, August 22, 1945

[Editor's Note: T/Sgt. Morris was first interred at St. Avold Cemetery, Metz France and was reinterred at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis Missouri.]
 

Courtesy of Cory Parolin


Photo courtesy of Find A Grave volunteer Eric Kreft #27845213
 

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