2nd Lt. John C. Morgan MOH

 Well, brace yourselves campers, this may be the most challenging Medal of Honor mission, I've read so far and I've read several. Talk about "Never give up, Never surrender"! 

The subject today is  2nd Lt. John C. Morgan, a co-pilot in B-17s in Europe. He went to several colleges but never graduated from one.  As such when he went to volunteer for the Army Air Force he was turned down.  Working on a drilling platform, he broke his neck and was declared 4F by the draft.  He then went to Canada and enlisted in their Air Force and then was posted to Bomber Command in England as a Sergeant Pilot. Flew missions with the RAF for a couple of years and then the US Army Air Force, in 1943, knew they needed experienced combat pilots so invited him to return to them.  He did.

On his 5th US mission, he's flying as co-pilot in a B-17 on a mission to Hanover Germany.  As they are approaching the target, they get attacked head on by Focke-Wulf  190's head on.  Their cannons hit the cockpit and split open the pilot's skull but did not kill him.  He passed out and fell against the controls causing the plane to dive out of formation.  Lt Morgan, with sheer strength,  pulled him off the control stick and brought the plane back into formation.  He decided that it would be better to remain in the formation for protection than going home alone. Probably a good choice.

He manages to get the plane back home with most of the crew still alive.  The pilot died shortly after landing.

Lt Morgan is awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on that mission.

But... 

In March of 1944, he's co-piloting an aircraft to bomb Berlin.  This aircraft gets shot down and in his haste to bail out, he forgets to fasten his parachute.  He exits the aircraft and realized his error.  While falling through the air, he manages to put his parachute on and secure it.  Then pulls the cord and lands safely.  Unfortunately, he is captured by the Germans. 

I'm not certain if this is a point of distinction, but he is the only person to be a POW after receiving the Medal of Honor. 

When asked about the Medal he said "There's no such thing as a hero. …I was pushed into circumstances where I was forced to act. You can never say how you're going to react to something until it happens, but I think most people would have done the same."  

I would hope and pray that is so should I have been presented with similar circumstances. 

 

Ira Eaker pinning on Lt Morgan's Medal of Honor

 

 

 

Citation for the award of the Medal of Honor

Citation:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty, while participating on a bombing mission over enemy-occupied continental Europe, 28 July 1943. Prior to reaching the German coast on the way to the target, the B17 aircraft in which 2nd Lt.  Morgan was serving as co-pilot was attacked by a large force of enemy fighters, during which the oxygen system to the tail, waist, and radio gun positions was knocked out. A frontal attack placed a cannon shell through the windshield, totally shattering it, and the pilot's skull was split open by a .303 caliber shell, leaving him in a crazed condition. The pilot fell over the steering wheel, tightly clamping his arms around it. 2d Lt. Morgan at once grasped the controls from his side and, by sheer strength, pulled the aircraft back into formation despite the frantic struggles of the semiconscious pilot. The interphone had been destroyed, rendering it impossible to call for help. At this time the top turret gunner fell to the floor and down through the hatch with his arm shot off at the shoulder and a gaping wound in his side. The waist, tail, and radio gunners had lost consciousness from lack of oxygen and, hearing no fire from their guns, the copilot believed they had bailed out. The wounded pilot still offered desperate resistance in his crazed attempts to fly the aircraft. There remained the prospect of flying to and over the target and back to a friendly base wholly unassisted. In the face of this desperate situation, 2nd Lt. Officer Morgan made his decision to continue the flight and protect any members of the crew who might still be in the ship and for 2 hours he flew in formation with one hand at the controls and the other holding off the struggling pilot before the navigator entered the steering compartment and relieved the situation. The miraculous and heroic performance of 2nd Lt. Morgan on this occasion resulted in the successful completion of a vital bombing mission and the safe return of his aircraft and crew.

 

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_C._Morgan 

https://www.cmohs.org/recipients/john-c-morgan 

https://www.af.mil/Medal-of-Honor/Morgan/ 

https://valor.militarytimes.com/recipient/recipient-1861/. Only recipient to be a POW AFTER MoH awarded