World War II Honoree

Herbert Adrian Morse

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Montrose, Colorado

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Relationship

Friend

Rank: Fireman First Class. He enlisted into the United States Navy January 11, 1943, at Salt Lake City, Utah with Basic Military Training at the U.S. Naval Training Station San Diego, California. Upon his graduation from Boot Camp and with additional training; he was transferred to the USS Bunker Hill Aircraft Carrier I (CV-17) for duty. March 21, 1945, the USS Bunker Hill with her Shipmate’s, along with an armada of Combatant Ships arrived off the coastal shores of Okinawa in support of the impending invasion/occupation and located in the Northwest Pacific Theater of Operations. May 11, 1945, the USS Bunker Hill, moored 60 miles off-shore of Okinawa Island, was attacked by an Imperial Japanese Kamikaze zero fighter Pilot, flew in low on the starboard quarter and released a 550-pound bomb on the Bunker Hill’s flight deck. Fragments from the bomb, as well as the Zero itself crashed into a group of fully armed and fueled aircraft waiting for takeoff, causing a chain reaction. Massive balls of fire and smoke shot across the aft end of the ship, blowing several sailors over the side. Barely 30 seconds later, another Kamikaze Pilot dropped a 550-pound bomb into Bunker Hill’s flight deck. The explosion tore through the hangar deck and ready rooms below, where Pilots of their fueled and armed planes prepared for elevation to the top deck. The attack inflicted a tremendous amount of damage, due to individual acts of heroism and self-sacrifice, along with skillful seamanship they; began the long battle to save the USS Bunker Hill and their Shipmate’s. He was reported “Missing-in-Action” or Buried at Sea along with his gallant crew members, gone without a trace and will “Remain on Eternal Patrol”. In remembrance of the brave, his name is permanently inscribed in the tablets of the missing, memorialized at Honolulu Memorial Location: Honolulu, Hawaii. In his Memory, this American Patriot received the following decorations posthumously: Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Presidential Unit Citation, Navy Good Conduct Medal, Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, and the WWII Victory Medal. He served his Country with Pride and Honor.