World War II Honoree

Frank Owen Morris

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Chandler, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE IN 1939. SERVED WITH THE OKLAHOMA NATIONAL GUARD UNTIL HIS DIVISION WAS INDUCTED INTO FEDERAL SERVICE AT OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA ON SEPTEMBER 16, 1940. SERVED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER AT FORT SILL AT LAWTON, OKLAHOMA, CAMP BARKELEY AT ABILENE, TEXAS, AND FORT DEVENS AT AYER, MASSACHUSETTS. STAGED WITH HIS UNIT AT CAMP PATRICK HENRY AT ORIANA, VIRGINIA ON MAY 25, 1943 AWAITING OVERSEAS DEPLOYMENT. SAILED FROM THE HAMPTON ROADS PORT OF EMBARKATION ON JUNE 8, 1943, LANDED IN NORTH AFRICA ON JUNE 22, 1943, AND WENT INTO TRAINING AT ARZEW, ALGERIA. SERVED IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER WITH HEADQUARTERS AND HEADQUARTERS COMPANY, 1ST BATTALION, 179TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 45TH INFANTRY 'THUNDERBIRD' DIVISION. PARTICIPATED IN THE SICILY, NAPLES-FOGGIA, ANZIO, ROME-ARNO, SOUTHERN FRANCE, RHINELAND, AND ARDENNES-ALSACE (BATTLE OF THE BULGE) CAMPAIGNS. HIS REGIMENT ASSAULTED SCOGLITTI, SICILY ON JULY 9, 1943 AND FOUGHT IN THE BATTLE OF MOTTA HILL; ASSAULTED SALERNO, ITALY ON SEPTEMBER 9, 1943 AND ENGAGED IN HEAVY FIGHTING AT PONTE SELE AND THE TOBACCO FACTORY; IN DECEMBER, 1943, FOUGHT TO TAKE KEY MOUNTAIN HEIGHTS INCLUDING HILL 769 DURING OPERATIONS NEAR SALERNO; FOUGHT AT ANZIO, ITALY BEGINNING JANUARY 22, 1944 AND WAS ENGAGED IN DEFENDING THE BEACHHEAD FOR THE FOLLOWING 4 MONTHS, INCLUDING WITHSTANDING A MAJOR GERMAN COUNTERATTACK IN FEBRUARY, 1944; ASSAULTED SOUTHERN FRANCE AT SAINT MAXIMIN ON AUGUST 15, 1944 AND FOUGHT TO TAKE THE TOWN OF BARJOLS AND SAW HEAVY COMBAT AT MEXIMIEUX AND VILLERSEXEL; ENGAGED IN ATTACKS TO TAKE FORTS IN THE MAGINOT LINE IN NOVEMBER, 1944 AND TOOK PART IN HEAVY COMBAT TO SECURE MERTZWILLER, FRANCE IN DECEMBER, 1944 DURING OPERATIONS IN THE RHINELAND; WOUNDED IN ACTION DURING THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE AND TAKEN AS A PRISONER OF WAR BY GERMAN FORCES. AWARDED THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, BRONZE STAR MEDAL, PURPLE HEART, PRISONER OF WAR MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH BRONZE ARROWHEAD, AND 1 SILVER AND 2 BRONZE SERVICE STARS, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. ALSO AWARDED THE FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE WITH PALM FOR ACTIONS BY HIS DIVISION AT ACQUAFONDATA. HONORABLY DISCHARGED WITH THE RANK OF STAFF SERGEANT AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.