World War II Honoree

John Morrison Birch

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Georgia

Honored By

Pearl Thomas

Served as a U.S. Army officer in China. Worked as a field intelligence officer, fluent in Mandarin, under Colonel Claire Chennault, leader of the Flying Tigers. He served with the China Air Task Force supplying Chennault with information on Japanese troop movements and shipping. After V-J Day, he was leading a group to gather intelligence in Xuzhou, they were stopped by a People's Liberation Army force in a small town where the Communists had been fighting Japanese troops. After a confrontation he was shot and killed. Received Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with four 3/16" bronze campaign stars, WWII Victory Medal, Republic of China Medal of the Armed Forces (Grade B, Second Class), Republic of China Order of the Cloud and Banner, Republic of China War Memorial Medal.