World War II Honoree

William P. Morrow

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Hackensack, New Jersey

Honored By

Richard E. Morrow

Relationship

Son

HE WAS INDUCTED IN THE HACKENSACK, NEW JERSEY ARMORY ON DECEMBER 15, 1940 AT THE AGE OF 23 INTO THE ARMY AIR FORCES. HE ATTENDED BOOT CAMP IN FORT DIX, NEW JERSEY, THEN TO FORT MONMOUTH, NEW JERSEY AND FINALLY TO HIS FIRST ASSIGNMENT DOING AIRCRAFT COMMUNICATIONS REPAIR AT DREW FIELD, TAMPA, FLORIDA IN JUNE, 1941. FROM THERE, HE WAS ASSIGNED TO A ROYAL AIR FORCE TRAINING CAMP IN SEAFORTH, ONTARIO TO BE TRAINED ON THE NEWEST RADAR TECHNOLOGY FINISHING HIS TRAINING IN NOVEMBER 1941. THE MORNING OF DECEMBER 7, 1941 BEFORE PEARL HARBOR WAS ATTACKED, HE WAS WHISKED AWAY TO ALBROOK FIELD, PANAMA CITY. HERE HE STAYED FOR 3 YEARS AND WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR KEEPING THE MODEL 270 RADAR ON LINE AT ALL TIMES AS WELL AS CALIBRATION AND MAINTENANCE. DURING THIS TIME, HE ALSO FLEW ON MANY B-29 PACIFIC RIM RADAR CALIBRATION RUNS ASSIGNED TO THE 410TH AIR FORCE UNDER CAPTAIN READ. THIS BROUGHT HIM TO LOCATIONS SUCH AS AUSTRALIA, ALASKA, AND NEW GUINEA. HIS FINAL ASSIGNMENT WAS TO DEACTIVATE AND DISMANTLE A RADAR STATION IN EL CENTRO, CALIFORNIA FROM JANUARY 1945 THROUGH JULY 1945. WITH THE JAPANESE SURRENDER IN AUGUST 1945, HE WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED ON OCTOBER 20, 1945 WITH THE RANK OF SERGEANT.