World War II Honoree

Emerson L. Morris

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Cedaredge, Colorado

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: 2ND LIEUTENANT. HE WAS AN INSTRUCTOR PILOT IN A CESSNA UC-78B, WHO WAS KILLED DECEMBER 1, 1944 ALONG WITH THE STUDENT PILOT DURING AN INSTRUMENT-TRAINING MISSION. THE AIRCRAFT HAD TAKEN-OFF FROM MARFA ARMY AIR FIELD, MARFA, TEXAS ON A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT TO KELLY FIELD, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS. DURING THE LANDING APPROACH TO KELLEY FIELD THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE RISING TERRAIN AND CRASHED FIVE MILES NORTHEAST OF MICO, TEXAS. THE CESSNA EXPLODED INTO FLAMES UPON IMPACT, FATALLY INJURING BOTH CREWMEN. HE HAD ENTERED THE U.S. ARMY AIR CORPS IN NOVEMBER 1942 AS AN ENLISTEE AND WAS LATER ACCEPTED INTO THE FLIGHT-TRAINING PROGRAM. COMPLETED PRIMARY, BASIC, ADVANCE AND TRANSITION FLIGHT TRAINING PHASES AT SANTA ANA, ARMY AIR FIELD, CALIFORNIA; BLYTHE ARMY AIR FIELD, CALIFORNIA; BAKERSFIELD ARMY AIR FIELD, CALIFORNIA AND SAN ANTONIO ARMY AIR FIELD, TEXAS.