World War II Honoree

Charles T. Morris

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Weatherford, Texas

Honored By

Ms. Shelley Staten

Relationship

Grandaughter

CHARLES T. MORRIS WAS SWORN IN ARMY AIR CORPS IN MARCH 1942. HE SERVED 3 YEARS AND 7 MONTHS IN THE AIR FORCE, 2 YEARS IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC. HE WAS ON THE LST 738, D-DAY, MOROTAI ISLAND; SHIP SUNK AFTER BEING HIT BY SUICIDE PLANE. CHARLES WAS DISCHARGED OCTOBER 1945 AS A STAFF SERGEANT. FLIGHT CHIEF IN THE 418TH NIGHT FIGHTER SQUADRON, ARMAMENT SECTION. TOUR OF DUTY OF CHARLES T. MORRIS IN THE PACIFIC THEATER OF WORLD WAR II AS A PART OF THE 418TH NIGHT FIGHTER SQUADRON: 1 - REPORTED TO SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS SIGNED UP FOR ARMAMENT TRAINING 2 - BASIC TRAINING - WICHITA FALLS, TEXAS 3 - ARMAMENT TRAINING – BUCKLEY FIELD DENVER, COLORADO THE 418TH NIGHT FIGHTER SQUADRON WAS ACTIVATED APRIL 1, 1943 418TH TRAINING BASES: 4 - AAFSAT (ARMY AIR FORCE SCHOOL OF APPLIED TACTICS) ORLANDO, FLORIDA – APRIL 1, 1943 – AUGUST 21, 1943 5 - KISSIMMEE, FLORIDA – AUGUST 21, 1943 – SEPTEMBER 26, 1943 6 - CAMP PATRICK HENRY, VIRGINIA – SEPT 26, 1943 – OCTOBER 6, 1943 7 - U.S.S. GENERAL JOHN POPE – BOARDED OCTOBER 6, 1943 IN HAMPTON ROADS, VIRGINIA EMBARKED AT 1528 HOURS (3:28 P.M.) 8 - SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO 9 - PANAMA CANAL 10 - BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA 11- TOWNSVILLE, AUSTRALIA OPERATIONAL STATIONS: 12 - NOV 2, 1943: MILNE BAY, NEW GUINEA 13 - NOV 22, 1943: DOBODURA, NEW GUINEA 14 - MAR 28, 1944: FINSCHHAFEN, NEW GUINEA 15 - MAY 12, 1944: HOLLANDIA, NEW GUINEA 16 - JUNE 8 – AUG 18, 1944: INSOEMOAR (WAKDE) ISLANDS DETACHMENT START OF B-25 OPERATIONS 17 - SEPT 16 – OCT 5, 1944: OWI ISLAND, PADAIDO ISLAND. DETACHMENT RECEIVED FIRST P-61 EARLY SEPTEMBER 18 - SEPT 28, 1944: MORATAI, HALMAHERAS FIRST ENEMY AIRCRAFT DESTROYED BY P-61 OCT 7, 1944 19 - NOV 14 – 30, 1944: DULAG, LEYTE, PHILIPPINES DETACHMENT (GROUND ECHELON ONLY) 20 - DEC 15 – 26, 1944: SAN JOSE, MINDORO, PHILIPPINES DETACHMENT (GROUND ECHELON ONLY) MORNING OF DEC 15, 1944 LST 738 WAS HIT BY A KAMIKAZI AND SUNK WHILE WAITING TO UNLOAD AT MINDORO, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. ALL MEN ABANDON SHIP AND WERE PICKED UP BY OTHER SHIPS IN THE CONVOY 21 - DEC 26, 1944: SAN JOSE, MINDORO, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS 22 - JUNE – JULY, 1945 SANGA SANGA ISLAND SULU ARCHIPELAGO. 23 - JULY 26 1945: OKINAWA, RYUKYUS JAPANESE SURRENDER 24 - AUGUST 1945: RETURNED TO MINDORO FROM OKINAWA FOR RETURN HOME 25 – SEPTEMBER 1945: SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – ARRIVED FROM PHILIPPINE ISLANDS BOARDED TRAIN TO SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS 26 – OCTOBER 5, 1945: SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS HONORABLE DISCHARGE FROM THE ARMY AIR CORPS 27 – RETURNED TO WEATHERFORD, TEXAS WHERE HE WAS REUNITED WITH HIS FAMILY, WIFE JEAN AND FIRST SON (CHARLES RICHARD MORRIS) WHICH HE HAD NOT YET SEEN CHARLES WAS IN THE ARMY AIR CORPS FROM MARCH 1942 UNTIL OCTOBER 5, 1945 (3 YEARS & 7 MONTHS) AND WAS OVER SEAS TWO YEARS FROM OCTOBER 6, 1943 UNTIL OCTOBER 5, 1945 RANK AT TIME OF DISCHARGE: STAFF SARGENT CHARLES T. MORRIS, S/N 18083620 AIRPLANE ARMORER FIFTH AIR FORCE, 418TH NIGHT FIGHTER SQUADRON, FOURTH FLIGHT OPERATIONAL AIRCRAFT: 1943 – 1944: P70 & P70A 1943 – 1944: P38F, G & J 1944 B-25H 1944 – 1945: P-61A & B ENEMY AIRCRAFT: P-70: 0/0/0 P-38: 2/2/0 P-61: 18/1/0 SQUADRON TOTAL: 20/3/0 NO MISSIONS WERE STOPPED OR SHORTENED DUE TO ARMAMENT MALFUNCTIONS! INACTIVATED FEBRUARY 20, 1947 (BECAME 4TH FIGHTER SQUADRON) WARTIME COMMANDING OFFICERS: APRIL 1, 1943 – FEB 15, 1945: MAJ. CARROLL C. SMITH FEBRUARY 15, 1945 – NOVEMBER 5, 1945: CAPTAIN WILLIAM B. SELLERS