World War II Honoree

Donald C. Morrison

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Sharon, Wisconsin

Honored By

John C. Burkhardt, MOPH Chapter 1919; Austin, Texas

ENTERED ACTIVE DUTY ON AUGUST 21, 1944 AND SERVED IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER. ASSIGNED TO COMPANY K, 38TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 2ND INFANTRY DIVISION AS A LIGHT MACHINE GUNNER. HE WAS RUSHED THROUGH TRAINING AND ON MARCH 23, 1945, FIGHTING IN THE HILLS WEST OF KOBLENZ, GERMANY, HE WAS WOUNDED WHEN HIS UNIT CAME UNDER HEAVY FIRE FROM A GERMAN 88MM. HE WAS HIT IN THE HEAD AND CHEST AND LAID UNCONSCIOUS. HIS MEN LEFT HIM FOR DEAD AND TOOK HIS MACHINE GUN WHEN THEY ADVANCED. LATER HE REGAINED CONSCIOUSNESS AND FOUND HIMSELF ALL ALONE. AS SOON AS HE WAS ABLE HE ADVANCED TO JOIN HIS UNIT. A MEDIC TREATED HIM FOR HIS HEAD WOUND AND THEN BEGAN SEARCHING FOR THE WOUND THAT WENT THROUGH HIS CHEST. A LARGE PIECE OF METAL WAS RETRIEVED FROM A BIBLE THAT HE CARRIED INSIDE HIS POCKET. HE SERVED IN NUMEROUS BATTLES AND CAMPAIGNS THROUGHOUT THE RHINELAND AND CENTRAL EUROPE. DECORATIONS AND CITATIONS: COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER SERVICE MEDAL, AMERICAN THEATER SERVICE MEDAL AND PURPLE HEART FOR WOUNDS RECEIVED IN COMBAT ON MARCH 23, 1945 IN GERMANY.