World War II Honoree

Michael Angelo Morris

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Bernalillo, New Mexico

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank - Corporal. A member of the New Mexico Army National Guard, he was inducted into Federal Service January 6, 1941 at Albuquerque, New Mexico. Deployed to the Philippine Islands and served in the Medical Department an element of the 200th Coastal Artillery Anti-aircraft Regiment, the Harbor Defense of Manila and Subic Bays, Philippine Islands. He participated in the Philippine Islands Campaign (Battle Dates: December 8, 1941-May 6, 1942), the conquest of the Philippine Islands by the Japan Empire. Thursday, April 9, 1942 the invaders captured him on the Island of Luzon during the Battle of Bataan, while his unit was in retreat to the Bataan Peninsula. As a Japanese Prisoner of War, his captors forced him to participate in the Bataan Death March and held captive in the Prisoner of War Camp #4 O’Donnell Tarlac Luzon, Philippine Islands for 124 days. On Friday, September 11, 1942, he died of unknown causes and buried in a Japanese Prisoner of War Cemetery on Luzon. After the cessation of hostilities with Japan, his remains were moved to the American Cemetery located at Fort Bonifacio in Manila, Philippine Islands. This Soldier, an American Patriot so gallantly gave his life for his Country. In his memory at the Bataan Memorial Park in Albuquerque, New Mexico, his name is engraved on one of the twelve granite columns.