Warren J Morley

Warren James Morley was born 24 October 1923, in Geneva, Ashtabula County,
Ohio, the eldest son of Alfred Charles Morley and Hazel Eliza Patterson Morley.
Between 1935 and 1940, the family moved to Norwalk, Huron County, Ohio. 

Warren was called "BILL" and also "Buck" and was very active in sports and the
arts, while he was a student at Norwalk High School.  He was a memebr of the
football team, for all three years, as well as a distance runner on the track team. 
He had several acting parts in the High School's plays, and he was a member of
the yearbook (The Signal) staff, as its sports editor.  He Graduated from Norwalk
High School in June 1942. 

Warren J. Morley enlisted in the Army Air Force, on 04 December 1942, while
he was a first semester student at Ohio Wesleyan University. Called to active
duty in March, 1943, he took his basic training at San Antonio, Texas, and received
further training as a Radio Operator, and Aerial Gunner, and left for overseas a year
later.  He was assigned the 15th Air Force, 5th Bombardment Wing, 483rd Bombardment
Group, 816th Bombardment Squadron, aboard B-17 Flying Fortress, Heavy Bomber
Aircraft, stationed in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, at Sterparone, Italy. 
The official Motto of the 483rd Bomb Group was: "From The Skies We Conquer."

Warren James Morley received promotions in rank from Private, to Private First
Class, to Corporal, to Sergeant, attaining the Rank of Staff Sergeant.

On 18 July 1944, during a disasterous bombing mission to bomb the Air Drome
at Memmingen, Germany, and escorted by the P-51 Fighter Aircraft, of the 332nd
Fighter Group, flown by the Fighting Red Tail Pilots of the Tuskegee Airmen, the
formation of 26 Bombers got separated from the protection of their escorts, between
Kempton and Memmingen, by a thick blanket of fog.  When the skies cleared,
approximately 75 to 100 Focke-Wulf 190s and Messerschmitt 109s attacked the
formation of B-17s from the rear, as they neared their target without fighter cover. 
Within the first  five minutes, 15 B-17s were seen flaming down toward the ground,
victims of the Luftwaffe fighters.  Fourteen B-17 Bombers of the 483rd Bombardment
Group, and One B-17 Bomber of the 301st Bombardment Squadron were shot down,
killing nearly One Hundred men.  Survivors, who were able  to bail out, were captured
by the Enemy Ground Forces and held as Prisoners Of War.

The 332nd fighter escort arrived 8 minutes after the initial attack and was “very effective
from then on, despite the fact that they were heavily outnumbered.”   The enemy aircraft
attack lasted 20 minutes, according to one report. In other words, for approximately
twelve minutes, enemy fighters continued to attack the 483rd Bombardment Group,
despite the arrival of the 332nd Fighter Group escort fighters. 

Staff Sergeant Warren James Morley, was among those Killed In Action on July 18,
1944.  Of his 10 fellow crew mates, nine others were Killed In Action, and one survived,
although the survivor was badly injured and was immediately captured by the Enemy,
and held as a Prisoner Of War.  The Dead Americans were interred in the Seibranz,
Germany cemetery.  After the War, their remains were recovered and returned, or
repatriated, to their families in the United States.  S/Sgt, Warren J. Morley's remains
arrived back on U.S. soil on Monday, October 25, 1948, and Funeral Services were
held on Wednesday, October 27, 1948 in the Orebaugh Funeral Home, in Norwalk,
Ohio, with the Rev. Robert Dieterick, officiating. Burial was in Woodlawn Cemetery,
in Norwalk, Huron County, Ohio.

S/Sgt. Warren James Morley was survived by his Parents, Alfred C. and Hazel
E. (nee Patterson) Morley; and by his two younger brothers, Alfred C. Morley, Jr.;
and Russell S. Morley.

NEVER FORGET his Service and Sacrifice.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

DATE  TIME  LOCATION  TYPE  SERIAL NUMBER  WG  GROUP  MISSING AIR CREW REPORT
18 July 1944~1045-1100 near Memmingen B-17~42-107179 WG-5; BG-483    6856
18 July 1944~1045-1100 near Memmingen B-17~42-107008 WG-5; BG-483    6953
18 July 1944~1045-1100 near Memmingen B-17~42-102862 WG-5; BG-483    6954
18 July 1944~1045-1100 near Memmingen B-17~44-6174     WG-5; BG-483    6975
*>18 July 1944  1045-1100 near Memmingen B-17~42-97671 WG-5; BG-483   6976<*
18 July 1944~1045-1100 near Memmingen B-17~42-102382  WG-5; BG-483   6977
18 July 1944~1045-1100 near Memmingen B-17~42-107170  WG-5; BG-483   6978
18 July 1944~1045-1100 near Memmingen B-17~42-102923  WG-5; BG-483   6979
18 July 1944~1045-1100 near Memmingen B-17~42-102927  WG-5; BG-483   6980
18 July 1944~1045-1100 near Memmingen B-17~42-97584    WG-5; BG-483   6981
18 July 1944~1045-1100 near Memmingen B-17~42-46267    WG-5; BG-483   7097
18 July 1944~1045-1100 near Memmingen B-17~42-102422  WG-5; BG-483   7098
18 July 1944~1045-1100 near Memmingen B-17~44-6177      WG-5; BG-483   7099
18 July 1944~1045-1100 near Memmingen B-17~42-107172   WG-5; BG-483  7153
18 July 1944~110447 54 N, 10 40 E           B-17~42-102943   WG-5; BG-301  7310
============================================
A/C: Model B-17G;
Serial Number 42-97671
Missing Air Crew Report Number: 6976
Short Description: NARA M1380. Over 16,000 case files of
Missing Air Crew Reports (MACRs) and related records of
the US Army Air Forces, 1942-1947.
Year: 1944
Serial Number:  42-97671
Report Number:  6976
Location:  Vicinity Of Target; Near Menninger, Germany
Point Of Departure: Sterparone, Italy

THE CREW:
Pilot: 2Lt. Hans B. Gussarson, Wooddale, Dupage Co. IL~KIA
Co-Pilot: 2Lt. Chester A. Griffith, Jr., York, York Co, PA~KIA
Navigator: 2Lt. Leo P. Powojski, Kings Co. NY~KIA
Bombardier: 2Lt. George F. Carr, Seat Pleasant, Prince Georges Co. MD~KIA
Engineer/Gunner: S/Sgt. Owen C. Hurst, Walnut, IL~POW
Assistant Engineer/Gunner: S/Sgt. Ivan J. Pederson, Mt. Vernon, Skagit Co. WA~KIA
Radio Operator/Gunner: T/Sgt. Karl A. Cretors, Indianapolis, Marion Co. IN~KIA
Assistant Radio Operator/Gunner: S/Sgt. Warren J. Morley, Norwalk, Huron Co. OH~KIA
Armorer/Gunner: S/Sgt. Max B. Guthrie, Detroit, Wayne Co. MI~KIA
Assistant Armorer/Gunner: S/Sgt. Bernard C. Morrison, Pickford, Chippewa Co. MI~KIA
Aerial Photographer: S/Sgt. Robert E. Robinson, Huntington, Cabell Co. WV~KIA


Sources:
http://www.tuskegee.edu/sites/www/Uploads/files/About%20US/Airmen/EscortedBombersLosttoEnemyAircraft12.2011.pdf
http://www.tuskegeeairmen.org/explore/FIFTEEN%20MYTHS%20ABOUT%20THE%20TUSKEGEE%20AIRMEN.pdf
Missing Air Crew Report: Report Number:  6976
--------------
World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938 - 1946.
ARMY SERIAL NUMBER 15126705  15126705 
NAME MORLEY#WARREN#J#########  MORLEY#WARREN#J######### 
RESIDENCE: STATE 53  OHIO 
RESIDENCE: COUNTY 077  HURON 
PLACE OF ENLISTMENT 5325  COLUMBUS OHIO 
DATE OF ENLISTMENT DAY 04  04 
DATE OF ENLISTMENT MONTH 12  12 
DATE OF ENLISTMENT YEAR 42  42 
GRADE: ALPHA DESIGNATION PVT#  Private 
GRADE: CODE 8  Private 
BRANCH: ALPHA DESIGNATION AC#  Air Corps 
BRANCH: CODE 20  Air Corps 
EDUC. SPEC. ##  ## 
DEFER. DATE MONTH 60  60 
DEFER. DATE YEAR 44  44 
SOURCE OF ARMY PERSONNEL 0  Civil Life 
NATIVITY 53  OHIO 
YEAR OF BIRTH 23  23 
RACE AND CITIZENSHIP 1  White, citizen 
EDUCATION 5  1 year of college 
CIVILIAN OCCUPATION 992  Undefined Code 
MARITAL STATUS 6  Single, without dependents 
COMPONENT OF THE ARMY 3  Reserves - exclusive of Regular Army Reserve and Officers of the Officers Reserve Corps on active duty under the Thomason Act (Officers and Enlisted Men -- O.R.C. and E.R.C., and Nurses-Reserve Status) 
BOX NUMBER 0187  0187 
FILM REEL NUMBER 2.44#  2.44# 
---------------------
483rd Bombardment Group
B-17 Flying Fortress
Constituted as 483rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 14 Sep 1943.
Trained with B-17's. Activated 1 Aug 1943. Moved to Italy, Mar-Apr 1944.
Inactivated in Italy on 25 Sep 1945.
815th BS
816th BS
817th BS
840th BS (Former 818th )
---------------------
U.S. Rosters of World War II Dead, 1939-1945
Name: Warren J Morley
Gender: Male
Race: White
Religion: Protestant     
Cemetery Name: Ohio
Disposition: According to next of kin     
Service Branch: Army
Rank: Staff Sergeant
Service Number: 15126705
---------------
http://www.wwiimemorial.com/registry/wardept/pframe.asp?HonoreeID=1134052&popcount=1&tcount=1
S SG Warren J. Morley  ID: 15126705
Branch of Service: U.S. Army
Hometown: Huron County, OH
Status: FOD
----------
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=morley&GSfn=warren&GSmn=j&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=78864919&df=all&
Sgt Warren J Morley
Birth: unknown
Death: Jul. 13, 1944, Germany

Services for S-Sgt. Warren James Morley, who died July 13, 1944, when the B-17 bomber on which he was a gunner was shot down by anti-aircraft fire over Memmingen, Germany, will be held 1:30 p.m. Wednesday from the Orebaugh Chapel with the Rev. Robert Dieterich, pastor of the Methodist Church, officiating.

Sgt. Morley, who was 20 years old at the time of death, was a 1942 graduate of Norwalk High School and enlisted in the Army Air Force while a first semester student at Ohio Wesleyan University. Called to active duty in March, 1943, he took his basic training at San Antonio, Tex., and left for overseas a year later.

At the time of his death he was attached to the 15th Air Force. He was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity.

Surviving are his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred C. Morley; two brothers, Alfred C., Jr., and Russell S.

The repatriated remains will arrive this evening from a U.S. military cemetery in Germany. Friends will be received at the mortuary tomorrow evening until time of services.

Interment will be in the Woodlawn Cemetery.
~The Norwalk Reflector-Herald, Monday, October 25, 1948
 
Note: World War II Veteran
 
Burial: Woodlawn Cemetery
Norwalk, Huron County, Ohio, USA
 
Created by: B Sterosky
Record added: Oct 21, 2011
Find A Grave Memorial# 78864919
-----------------------
Sandusky Register Star News | Sandusky, Ohio | Tuesday, October 26, 1948 | Page 8
S-SGT. WARREN J. MORLEY
NORWALK, Oct. 26 — Services for S/Sgt. Warren James Morley, who died
July 18, 1944, when the B-17 bomber on which he was a gunner was shot
down over Mcmmingen, Germany, will be held at 2:30 p. m. Wednesday in
the Orebaugh Funeral Home, the Rev. Robert Dieterick, officiating. Burial
is to be in Woodlawn Cemetery.

Sgt. Morley, who was 20 years old at the time of his death, was a 1942
graduate of Norwalk High school and enlisted in the army air force while a
first semester student at Ohio Wesleyan University.  He was attached to
the 15th Air Force.

Surviving are his parents. Mr. and Mrs. Alfred C. Morley; two brothers. Alfred
C. Jr.. and Russell S. Morley, here.