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- Joseph Albro Morris was born on the ranch near Alva, Crook County,Wyoming on the 8th of December, 1912 to Stephen Albro and Mary Gertrude(Seley) Morris. He enlisted in the Air Force and became a Colonel. Hemarried Bernice Lown of Spearfish, Lawrence County, South Dakota on the8th of April, 1935. They were in Pearl Harbor at the time of the Japaneseattack. He was gone three days following the initial attack before hiswife saw or heard from him. He was shot down over Elbeuf, France duringthe war. His body was never found. This account is stated on page 307 of the book - 'Pioneers Of CrookCounty 1876 - 1920', by the Crook County Historical Society, CrookCounty, Wyoming, copyright 1981. AGPO-R 201 Morris, Joseph A., 11 September 1944 (11 Sep 44) MILITARY HISTORY OF JOSEPH ALBRO MORRIS (0-2242) Born at Alva Wyoming, on 8 December 1911. Appointed to the Army from Wyoming. Pvt. and Pvt 1 cl., A. C. from 17 April to 28 June 1936 Flying Cadet, Air Corps from 29 June 1936 to 30 June 1937 Second Lieutenant, Air Corps Reserve 30 June 1937 Accepted 30 June 1937 Active duty from 1 July 1937 to 14 Aug. 1939 Second Lieutenant, Air Corps Regular Army 15 Aug. 1939 Accepted 15 Aug. 1939 First Lieutenant, Army of the United States 9 Sept.1940 Accepted 7 Oct. 1940 Captain, Army of The United States (Air Corps)1 Mar. 1942 Major, Army of The United States (Air Corps) 1 Mar. 1942 First Lieutenant 15 Aug. 1942 Captain, Army of The United States 2 Oct. 1942 Major, Army of The United States 21 Apr. 1943 Lieutenant Colonel, Army of The United States (Air Corps) 16 June 1943 Graduate : Air Corps Primary Flying School, 1937 Air Corps Advanced Flying School, Pursuit Course, 1937 Rated : Senior Pilot Lieutenant Colonel Joseph A. Morris, Army of The United States,was officially reported as missing in action as of 16 August 1943; andsince an official determination has been made, death is presumed to haveoccurred on 17 August 1944. By authority of the Secretary of War : J. A. Ulio Major General The Adjutant General. Copy for : Master Pay Settlements Branch, Office of Special Settlements Accounts, 27 Pine Street, New York, 5, New York. AG 201 Morris, Joseph A. (17 Aug 44)PC-S 17 August1944. Mrs. Gertrude Mahoney Hulett, Wyoming. Dear Mrs. Mahoney Since your son, Lieutenant Colonel Joseph A. Morris, 0-22421, AirCorps, was reported missing in action 16 August 1943, the War Departmenthas entertained the hope that he survived and that information would berevealed dispelling the uncertainty surrounding his absence. However, asin many cases, the conditions ns of warfare deny us such information.The record concerning your son shows that on 16 August 1943, he wasleading a flight of planes on a bomber escort mission. Enemy aircraftwere encountered near Elbeuf, northwest of Paris, and he was last seen ashe dived in his plane in pursuit of an enemy plane. Full consideration has recently been given to all availableinformation bearing on the absence of your son, including all records,reports and circumstances. These have been carefully reviewed andconsidered. In view of the fact that twelve months have now expiredwithout the receipt of evidence to support continued presumption ofsurvival, the War Department must terminate such absence by a presumptivefinding of death. Accordingly, an official finding of death has been recorded under the provisions ofPublic Law 848, 77th Congress, approved December 24, 1942. The finding does not establish an actual of probable date of death;however as required by law, it includes a presumptive date of death forthe termination of pay and allowances, settlement of accounts and paymentof death gratuities. In the case of your son this date has been set as17 August 1944, the day following the expiration of twelve months'absence. I regret the necessity for this message but trust that the endingof a long period of uncertainty may give at least some small measure ofconsolation, I hope you may find sustaining comfort in the thought thatthe uncertainty with which war has surrounded the absence of your son andhas enhanced the honor of his service to his country and of his sacrifice. Sincerely yours, Copies furnished : David P.Richardson AG 201 Capt., A. G. P. Cas. Br. 201 Bur. Public Relations J. A. Ulio Major General, The Adjutant General. JOSEPH A. MORRIS SERVICE ASSIGNMENTS Randolph Field, Texas 4-17-34 to 6-23-36 67th Service Sq. AC Randolph Field, Texas 6-29-36 to 2-24-37 Cadet Detachment. Kelley Field, Texas 2-24-37 to 7-1-37 Flying Cadet Detachment Airplane Pilot June 9, 1937 Randolph Field, Texas 7-1-37 to 7-15-37 13th Att. Sq. Barksdale Field, La. 7-15-37 to 11-22-39 20th Pursuit Group, 79th Pursuit Sq. Moffett Field, Calif. 11-22-39 to 9-9-40 20th Pursuit Group, 79th Pursuit Sq. Hamilton Field, Calif. (?) 9-9-40 to 11-40 20th Pursuit Group, 79th Pursuit Sq. Wheeler Field, Hawaii 11-40 to 9-21-42 18th Pursuit Group, 19th Pursuit Sq. Fighter Comd. School, Orlando, Fla,9-21-42 to 10-3-42 European Theatre of Operations 10-3-42 to 8-16-42 (England) Authorized to wear the American Theatre Ribbon, Asiatic Pacific Ribbon and the E.T.O Ribbon. Awarded the Purple Heart posthumously. ARTICLE FROM THE QUEEN CITY MAIL SPEARFISH S. DAKOTA NEWSPAPER AUGUST 24, 1944 'GOVERNMENT DECLARES JOE MORRIS DEAD AFTER 12-MONTH ABSENCE' This week Mrs. Joe Morris received word from the war department thather husband, Lieut. Col. Joe Morris, one of Spearfish's favoritefighting sons, who has been missing in the European theater of war sinceAug. 16 of last year, has been declared dead . Hopes have been held by relatives and friends that the courageousair corps officer would show up 'somewhere in France' as the battle forthe liberation of the enemy occupied country progressed. This week asParis regains it freedom, the message from the war department reveals theimportant part Col. Morris, and other young fighters like him, played inthe early stages of the battle for Paris's liberation. 'Since your husband, Lieut. Col. Joe Morris was reported missing inaction 16 August, 1943, the war department has entertained the hope thathe survived and that information would be revealed dispelling theuncertainty surrounding his absence ,' the message from the wardepartment read. 'However as in many cases, the conditions of warfare deny us suchinformation. The record concerning your husband shows that on 16 August,1943, he was leading a flight of planes on a bomber escort mission.Enemy aircraft was encountered near Elbeuf, northwest of Paris, and hewas last seen as he dived his plane in pursuit of an enemy plane.' 'Full consideration has recently been given to all availableinformation bearing on the absence of your husband, including allrecords, reports and circumstances. These have been carefully reviewedand considered. In view of the fact that 12 months have now expiredwithout the receipt of evidence to support a continued presumption ofsurvival, the war department must terminate such absence by apresumptive death.' 'We regret the necessity for this message, but trust that the endingof a long period of uncertainty may give at least some small measure ofconsolation. We hope you may find sustaining comfort in the thought thatthe uncertainty with which the war surrounded the absence of your husbandhas enhanced the honor of his service to his country and of hissacrifice,' the message concluded. Little is known of Col. Morris' activities overseas other than thefact that he commanded a fighter squadron he had trained in the United States himselfbefore being sent to Europe in June of 1943. It is known, however, thathe was awarded the air medal and oak leaf cluster for meritorious servicein aerial flight in Europe and that he had completed 10 operationalflights over enemy occupied continental Europe before his last flight. An interesting article concerning Col. Morris and his fightingfliers appeared in an eastern paper a short time after he was reportedmissing. It was a delayed Associated Press story by Walter Logandescribing the squadron's first flight. It read as follows : 'For weeks the young American fliers had sat around the huge Nissenhut that was their clubroom waiting for their first mission. They werethe most impatient men in England. 'For weeks they had done nothing while other groups went on manysweeps a day or accompanied Flying Fortresses into Germany. They hadbeen considered a crack squadron when they left the United States andtheir impatience became almost unbearable. Card games lagged and thediscussions always turned to those magic words 'first mission.' 'Then it came. Lieut. Col. Joseph Morris of Spearfish, S. Dak.,their group commander, told them their orders in a calm midwestern voice. It was tobe the real thing. The Forts were going to attack airfields in Franceand action was likely -- Jerries will come up to attack the bombers. 'The first of fat little Thunderbolts roared down the long runway.Then came another and another and another until the sky was full of thepowerful fighters circling for the altitude at which they perform best,and then they were off , across the channel for their first combat. 'Later their battle reports began coming in on the radio and youknew they were mixing it up. The reports were fragmentary and mostlyunprintable. Someone would say 'get that-------off my tail' and someonewould reply 'why certainly.' There were references to the Luftwaffewhich would have made Goerring writhe in indignation. 'Some of them came back singing, 'The Last Time I Saw Paris.' Allof them were nearly out of gas when they landed. But they were happy.' Col. Morris was born near Alva, Wyo. Dec. 8, 1912. He wasgraduated from Spearfish high school in 1932 and soon after graduationentered the air corps and was sent to Randolph Field, Texas, for training. After he received his commission as lieutenant in the air corps hewas sent to Hawaiian Islands, was stationed there during the Jap attackon the island Dec. 7, 1941. Shortly after the attack he was promoted tothe rank of major. He was brought back to the United States to train his own fightingsquadron late in 1942. After eight months he and his squadron were sentto Europe. He received his promotion to lieutenant colonel in June oflast year. Surviving besides his wife is his mother, Mrs. Gertrude Mahoney, ofHulett, Wyo., and his grandmother Mrs. M. Morris of Spearfish.
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1912 - 1943 (30 years)
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