World War I
The “Great War” began July 28, 1914 when Archduke Ferdinand of Austria was assassinated and ended November 11, 1918. This was the “war to end all wars.” The war began between Austria-Hungary and Serbia. It expanded to include the Allied Forces: Great Brittan, France, Russia, Italy, Romania, Japan, and the United States fighting against Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire. The United States was initially neutral and traded with both sides but entered the war after its merchant ships were sunk by German submarines, most notably the British ship Lusitania carrying many Americans on a voyage from New York to Liverpool.
The United States formally declared War on Germany on April 6, 1917, after the Lusitania and four other U. S. ships were sunk by German submarines. About 70 million people were mobilized into various militaries making World War I one of the largest wars in history. Airplanes and tanks were introduced into warfare; WWI was characterized by trench warfare. It is estimated that there were nine million military deaths and ten million civilian deaths. Twenty-one million soldiers were wounded. Genocide and the Influenza pandemic killed millions of people. In mid-1918 American Expeditionary Forces reached a strength of 4.7 million soldiers. The war ended on November 11, 1918, when Germany surrendered. The United States suffered 116,708 military deaths in World War I. The Panhandle lost 186 service members in World War I.
Come and visit our museum of military artifacts, displays, and photographs from WWI to Afghanistan. The War Memorial has the only Military Chapel in the Panhandle, available for weddings and funerals. Our high-tech Education Center features five interactive computer kiosks, each with information on 11 U. S. wars. We also have oral histories of the Vietnam War and World War II. Visit our gift shop for military tee shirts, ball caps, and military memorabilia.
We invite you to visit our museum or visit our navigators Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Our telephone number is 806-350-8387. Follow us on Facebook and visit our website www.TexasPanhandleWarMemorial.com
Morgan Medal of Honor
On July 28, 1943, John Cary “Red” Morgan, 28 years old, flew a B-17 bombing mission over Germany for which he was awarded the Medal of Honor. Second Lieutenant Morgan had attended Amarillo College and West Texas State Teachers College. He attended Polk Street Methodist Church with his sister Mary Tom Morgan Crain who lived in Amarillo. He was originally denied admission to the Army Air Corps because of poor grades and later was classified 4F for the draft because of a broken neck suffered in an oil field accident. He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force and was later transferred to the U. S. Army Air Corps while in England. After he received the Medal of Honor, he continued to fly and on his 26th mission was shot down over Germany and held prisoner for the remainder of the war, one of the few Medal of Honor recipients in history who was later a prisoner of war. Second Lieutenant Morgan was the inspiration for the book, movie, and television series 12 O’clock High.
Second Lieutenant (Air Corps) John Cary “Red” Morgan, United States Army Air Forces, was awarded the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty, while serving with the 326th Bombardment Squadron, 92nd Bombardment Group (H), Eighth Air Force, 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 B-17 airplane in which Second Lieutenant Morgan was serving as copilot 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 control wheel, tightly clamping his arms around it. Second Lieutenant Morgan at once grasped the controls from his side and, by sheer strength, pulled the airplane back into formation despite the frantic struggles of the semiconscious pilot. The crazed pilot flailed at Second Lieutenant Morgan with his fists, knocking loose some of Morgan’s teeth, and blacking both of his eyes. 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, Morgan believed they had bailed out. The wounded pilot still offered desperate resistance in his crazed attempts to fly the airplane. 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, Second Lieutenant Morgan made his decision to continue the flight and protect any members of the crew who might still be in the ship and for two 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 Second Lieutenant Morgan on this occasion resulted in the successful completion of a vital bombing mission and the safe return of his airplane and crew.
Start of Korean War Anniversary
The Korean war began June 25, 1950, when North Korea, backed by the Soviet Union and China, invaded South Korea, backed by the United States. General Douglas MacArthur commanded the U. S. Forces. The fighting ended on July 27, 1953, with an armistice that created the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea; however, a state of war still technically exists today. Approximately three million people died during the war. The United States suffered 33,686 military deaths and 92,134 wounded. 1,789,000 U. S. soldiers served in the Korean war. The Panhandle lost 87 service members in the war. There are still a few Korean War veterans in the Panhandle. If you know one, thank them for their service.
We encourage our veterans and their families to contact our Veterans Referral Coordination Center at the War Memorial if they need any type of assistance. The Texas Panhandle War Memorial is proud to partner with Combined Arms and the Texas Veterans Network to provide excellent service referrals for veterans and their families. The mission of the War Memorial is to help veterans and their families by assessing veteran and family member needs and finding appropriate service providers to meet those needs. As a Combined Arms Community Leader, the War Memorial has access to the vast array of services that fall under the umbrella of Combined Arms and the Texas Veterans Network. This is a collaborative effort across Texas.
Whatever the veteran’s need – employment, housing, financial assistance, reintegration, transportation, counseling, or general information – The War Memorial will find the right provider for them. This service is free; the veterans have earned it. Some benefits are available to the veteran’s family. Our navigators are trained to know the resource providers in our community and can connect the veteran or family member with those services. We will follow up and ensure that the veteran or family member and the resource connect, and their needs are being met.
Come and visit our museum of military artifacts, displays, and photographs from WWI to Afghanistan. The War Memorial has the only Military Chapel in the Panhandle, available for weddings and funerals. Our high-tech Education Center features five interactive computer kiosks, each with information on 11 U. S. wars. We also have oral histories of the Vietnam War and World War II. Visit our gift shop for military tee shirts, ball caps, and military memorabilia.
We invite you to visit our museum or visit our navigators Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Our telephone number is 806-350-8387. Follow us on Facebook and visit our website www.TexasPanhandleWarMemorial.com.
