In 1939 William "Bill" Darnall Morrison, his sister, mother and step-family moved from South Dakota to the west coast. They were displaced persons of the great depression. They worked as farm laborers and in logging and milling operations in Oregon, Idaho, and California.
Bill joined the U. S. Army in 1943 and trained to be a pilot. After his initial training, he became a trainer himself. In June 1944 he shipped out to Brazil, then on to Manduria, Italy. He was a member of the 15th Air Force, 55th Bomber Wing, 450th Bomber Group, 722nd Bomber Squadron. On July 27, 1944 his aircraft, B24-H, was shot down near Vespre'm, Hungary. He was imprisoned at Stalag Luft III at Sagan-Silesia. At the end of the war he and the other prisoners were marched south to Nuremberg-Langwasser, Bavaria before being repatriated.
He arrived in New York June 13, 1945. He arrived in Los Angeles, California July 5, 1945. By April 8, 1946 he was stationed in Albany, Georgia, USA. By December 1947 he was stationed at Hickam Field, Hawaii. The only flying he is doing in Hawaii is through the civilian airport at Honolulu (now the International Airport) where he is giving flying lessons.
Bill and two other service men rented a Piper Cub aircraft so they could fly to Kuaii for the day. They never made it. No evidence was found of a crash on land or at sea. These three men have never been found.
In a letter from Early E. W. Duncan, Colonel, USAF, Office, Director of Military Personnel, dated September 30, 1948, Bill was officially declared dead. There is no burial site.
Bill joined the U. S. Army in 1943 and trained to be a pilot. After his initial training, he became a trainer himself. In June 1944 he shipped out to Brazil, then on to Manduria, Italy. He was a member of the 15th Air Force, 55th Bomber Wing, 450th Bomber Group, 722nd Bomber Squadron. On July 27, 1944 his aircraft, B24-H, was shot down near Vespre'm, Hungary. He was imprisoned at Stalag Luft III at Sagan-Silesia. At the end of the war he and the other prisoners were marched south to Nuremberg-Langwasser, Bavaria before being repatriated.
He arrived in New York June 13, 1945. He arrived in Los Angeles, California July 5, 1945. By April 8, 1946 he was stationed in Albany, Georgia, USA. By December 1947 he was stationed at Hickam Field, Hawaii. The only flying he is doing in Hawaii is through the civilian airport at Honolulu (now the International Airport) where he is giving flying lessons.
Bill and two other service men rented a Piper Cub aircraft so they could fly to Kuaii for the day. They never made it. No evidence was found of a crash on land or at sea. These three men have never been found.
In a letter from Early E. W. Duncan, Colonel, USAF, Office, Director of Military Personnel, dated September 30, 1948, Bill was officially declared dead. There is no burial site.
In 1939 William "Bill" Darnall Morrison, his sister, mother and step-family moved from South Dakota to the west coast. They were displaced persons of the great depression. They worked as farm laborers and in logging and milling operations in Oregon, Idaho, and California.
Bill joined the U. S. Army in 1943 and trained to be a pilot. After his initial training, he became a trainer himself. In June 1944 he shipped out to Brazil, then on to Manduria, Italy. He was a member of the 15th Air Force, 55th Bomber Wing, 450th Bomber Group, 722nd Bomber Squadron. On July 27, 1944 his aircraft, B24-H, was shot down near Vespre'm, Hungary. He was imprisoned at Stalag Luft III at Sagan-Silesia. At the end of the war he and the other prisoners were marched south to Nuremberg-Langwasser, Bavaria before being repatriated.
He arrived in New York June 13, 1945. He arrived in Los Angeles, California July 5, 1945. By April 8, 1946 he was stationed in Albany, Georgia, USA. By December 1947 he was stationed at Hickam Field, Hawaii. The only flying he is doing in Hawaii is through the civilian airport at Honolulu (now the International Airport) where he is giving flying lessons.
Bill and two other service men rented a Piper Cub aircraft so they could fly to Kuaii for the day. They never made it. No evidence was found of a crash on land or at sea. These three men have never been found.
In a letter from Early E. W. Duncan, Colonel, USAF, Office, Director of Military Personnel, dated September 30, 1948, Bill was officially declared dead. There is no burial site.
Bill joined the U. S. Army in 1943 and trained to be a pilot. After his initial training, he became a trainer himself. In June 1944 he shipped out to Brazil, then on to Manduria, Italy. He was a member of the 15th Air Force, 55th Bomber Wing, 450th Bomber Group, 722nd Bomber Squadron. On July 27, 1944 his aircraft, B24-H, was shot down near Vespre'm, Hungary. He was imprisoned at Stalag Luft III at Sagan-Silesia. At the end of the war he and the other prisoners were marched south to Nuremberg-Langwasser, Bavaria before being repatriated.
He arrived in New York June 13, 1945. He arrived in Los Angeles, California July 5, 1945. By April 8, 1946 he was stationed in Albany, Georgia, USA. By December 1947 he was stationed at Hickam Field, Hawaii. The only flying he is doing in Hawaii is through the civilian airport at Honolulu (now the International Airport) where he is giving flying lessons.
Bill and two other service men rented a Piper Cub aircraft so they could fly to Kuaii for the day. They never made it. No evidence was found of a crash on land or at sea. These three men have never been found.
In a letter from Early E. W. Duncan, Colonel, USAF, Office, Director of Military Personnel, dated September 30, 1948, Bill was officially declared dead. There is no burial site.
Gravesite Details
His biological father was Newton Adelbert Morrison who went missing from Gregory county, South Dakota about 1921. He has never been heard of since. Bill was raised by Mr. John Frederich Hamann as if he were John's own son.
Family Members
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