World War II Honoree

Gene Keith Morlan

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Pollock, Missouri

Honored By

Janel Morlan Jannusch

Relationship

Daughter

ACTIVE DUTY; JANUARY 20, 1943. ATTENDED WELDING SCHOOL IN LOS ANGELES. SAILED TO ENGLAND ON THE QUEEN MARY IN OCTOBER 1943. SERVED IN EUROPEAN THEATRE FROM OCTOBER 1943 TO NOVEMBER 1945 IN NORMANDY, RHINELAND, CENTRAL EUROPE, AND FRANCE. LANDED AT OMAHA BEACH ON DAY 7 OF THE NORMANDY INVASION; JUNE 13, 1944. THE UNIT FOUGHT WITH THE FREE FRENCH. ENTERED PARIS SOON AFTER IT WAS LIBERATED. SENT TO BELGIUM AND THEN WENT INTO GERMANY AND TO THE CZECH BORDER. GERMANY THEN SURRENDERED. WAS IMMEDIATELY SENT TO MARSEILLES, FRANCE FOR TRANSPORT TO WAR IN THE PACIFIC WHEN THE ATOMIC BOMB WAS DROPPED ON JAPAN AND WAR ENDED. AWARDED WWII VICTORY MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 4 BRONZE SERVICE STARS, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AND HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON. SERVED WITH 885TH AIR SERVICE SQUADRON.