World War II Honoree

Morris C. Besly

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Pawnee, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENLISTED IN MILITARY SERVICE IN 1941. TRAINED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER AT SCOTT FIELD AT BELLEVILLE, ILLINOIS; FORT DIX AT WRIGHTSTOWN, NEW JERSEY; JAMESTOWN, NORTH DAKOTA; WITH THE WESTERN FLYING TRAINING COMMAND AT SANTA ANNA ARMY AIR BASE, CALIFORNIA; AND WITH THE SIERRA BOMBARDMENT GROUP AT BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER INCLUDING IN THE NORTH AFRICAN AND MEDITERRANEAN THEATERS OF OPERATIONS WITH THE 342ND BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON (HEAVY), 97TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP (HEAVY) DURING THE WAR. HIS B-17 'FLYING FORTRESS' BOMBER UNIT WAS STATIONED IN ALGERIA AND TUNISIA AS PART OF THE 12TH, AND LATER THE 15TH AIR FORCES. HE TOOK PART IN THE FIRST AMERICAN DAYLIGHT BOMBING RAID, IN 'OPERATION TORCH,' THE INITIAL ALLIED INVASION OF NORTH AFRICA ON NOVEMBER 8, 1942. HIS SQUADRON STRUCK SHIPPING IN THE NORTH AFRICAN AND MEDITERRANEAN THEATERS OF OPERATIONS; AND AIRFIELDS, DOCKS, HARBORS, AND MARSHALLING YARDS IN NORTH AFRICA, SOUTHERN FRANCE, SARDINIA, SICILY, AND SOUTHERN ITALY, FROM NOVEMBER, 1942-MAY, 1943, IN THE CAMPAIGN TO CUT SUPPLY LINES TO GERMAN FORCES IN NORTH AFRICA. HE WAS WOUNDED IN ACTION DURING A MISSION OVER BIZERTE, TUNISIA IN 1943, AND AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART. ALSO AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, AIR MEDAL WITH 1 SILVER AND 4 BRONZE OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 3 BRONZE SERVICE STARS, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN 1945 WITH THE RANK OF TECHNICAL SERGEANT AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.