O/T: A war hero has passed on to a better place.....

[CLSSY56]

http://www.memphis-belle.com/R_morgan.JPG
http://www.memphis-belle.com/mud_Island_2.JPG
[ QUOTE ]
I am so very sorry to tell you Bob passed away about 11:30pm Saturday night in ICU at Mission Hospital, Asheville, NC. He fought a long and hard battle for 24 days after falling at the Asheville Airport on April 22nd and breaking his neck.
Col. Morgan will be buried on Sat., May 22nd. A church service will be held at 10:30am:

PLEASE DO NOT SEND FLOWERS TO THE CHURCH. SEND TO THE CEMETERY LISTED BELOW

Trinity Episcopal Church
60 Church St.
Asheville, NC 28801
Phone: 828-253-5471

Following the church service his ashes will be buried at:
NC State Veterans Cemetery
1270 West Old Hwy 70
Black Mountain, NC

SEND FLOWERS DIRECTLY TO THE CEMETERY

Contact person is
JD - Phone: 828-669-0684

Col. Morgan will be buried with full military honors including an Air Force flyover.
In lieu of flowers you may make donations to:

Col. Robert Morgan - B-17 Memphis Belle Animal Welfare Fund
Donations will be tax-deductible

Send checks to:
Sheila Lambert, Attorney
BB&T Bldg.
Suite 1407
Asheville, NC 28801
Phone: 828-252-6700

PLEASE do not call Ms. Lambert unless absolutely necessary, as she gets $150/hour


[/ QUOTE ]
http://www.memphis-belle.com


I was lucky to have the pleasure of meeting him and his wife. When I did WW2 reinacting I spent a week with both of them in Tiffin, Ohio for a display and fly-in for a class of 5th graders.

God Bless you Col. Morgan and your wife..... Godspeed...

[ray]

was he a hot rodder?

[McGrath]

I read about that a couple days ago. We lose more of them everyday... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

[CLSSY56]

No, WWII war hero who was the Pilot of the "Memphis Belle" and "Dauntless Dottie" http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

[CLSSY56]

[ QUOTE ]
Sunday, May 16, 2004

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Col. Robert Morgan (search), commander of the famed Memphis Belle (search) B-17 bomber that flew combat missions over Europe during World War II, died late Saturday of complications from a fall, his wife said. He was 85.



Morgan was hospitalized April 22 with a fractured neck after falling following an air show at Asheville Regional Airport, said Carole Donnelly, spokeswoman for Mission Hospitals, where Morgan was treated.

His condition had been deteriorating in the last week or so, and Morgan was taken off life support systems, his wife, Linda, said. His wife, two daughters, a close family friend and two ministers were at his side when he died, she said.

A native of Asheville, Morgan became famous as the pilot of the Memphis Belle, which flew 25 combat missions over Germany and France during World War II (search). Morgan co-authored a book about some of his experiences, "The Man Who Flew the Memphis Belle," with Ron Powers.

Morgan and three other members of the Memphis Belle's crew were made honorary colonels of the state of Tennessee in 2000.

The crew completed its 25th bombing mission during World War II on May 17, 1943. It was a historic number; the Belle was the first heavy bomber in the European theater to last 25 missions, the magic number to be sent home.

"Twenty-five doesn't sound like much until you start flying them," Morgan later said.

Morgan and his crew were assigned to the plane Sept. 1, 1942. The pilot named the craft after his wartime sweetheart's home town.

The Belle flew to England in late September and departed on its first bombing mission on Nov. 7.

In the next six months, the Belle flew missions over France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. She was struck by flak, 20mm cannon shells and machine gun bullets. Every major part of the plane was replaced at least once, including the engines (nine times), both wings, tails and main landing gears. Four of the plane's crew of 10 died during combat.

According to Army records, the plane flew 148 hours, dropping more than 60 tons of bombs, all on daylight missions.

"Some of them were pretty rough missions. The Luftwaffe (the German air force) boys would sometimes fly into their own flak to get at us. They were mean devils, I tell you," said top turret gunner Harold Loch of Green Bay, Wis.

There were many close calls: engine fires, bullet holes, confrontations with fighter planes. Somehow the Belle always made it back to base when other planes went down.

Morgan said he and his men never talked about crashing or dying.

"Every time we were going to fly, we gathered in a huddle and we just told ourselves that if only one plane was coming back, it was going to be ours," he said.

The exploits of the Belle were brought to later generations by a 1990 film, "Memphis Belle," that told a heavily fictionalized version of the bomber's 25th and final mission.


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[leadsled1953]

the ww2 vets are dying at a rate of a 1000 a day now.what does it have to do with hotrods was asked. if it wasnt for these men we would be slave labor for the nazis today.there would be no car culture any thing.it was the returning ww2 vet who really got rodding going.

[John B]

the WWII vets made hot rodding what it was in the 50s and what it is today. The skills many learned in the armed forces were the basis of most hot rod innovations in the years following WWII. They are truly the Greatest Generation. Go find one now and say thank you.

[whodaky]

not only did they give us hot rodding as it has become. But as messed up as the world is these days. They gave us what is mostly a free world. I have nothing but admiration and respect for any one who has had to go away and fight in any war.

[SKR8PN]

This is one of the things I love about the HAMB. Respect for those that gave their all so we can enjoy the freedoms we have today.
Let us never forget.
God Speed Bob.

[unpunk01]

Weird...I just got my car a couple of weeks ago and I've been working on it in my backyard but Thursday night I was adjusting the carb and I heard someone yelling over the fence (I thought for being too loud). It was my nieghbor... WWII vet, who wanted to see my shoebox. He was so excited to see one because a '50 Shoebox was the first NEW car he had ever owned. Told me a horrible story about how in the South Pacific he had been captured when the island that he was on was overrun with Japanese. Unfortunately, he was not released as a POW until 1947...yes, two years after the war ended! Anyway, he got a little teary-eyed checking out my car...funny how something like a car can bring back so many memories for people...
As soon as I get my carb rebuilt, the first person I am taking on a ride is Bill! Hot Rodder or not...we have a lot to thank these guys for!

[TP]

My Dad flew off of the Rock of Gibraltar during WWII. I would ask him about it as a kid and he'd say it was Hell, hope you never have to experience it. He could fix anything anywhere. He gave me my hot rod roots. I miss him every day. These men are the ones we owe everthing we have to. We also owe the young men and women that are serving now!TP

[Morrisman]

"If you are reading this, thank a teacher.

If you are reading this in English, thank a soldier"

Borrowed from another poster, but never a truer word said.

[Jimv]

Hey Unpunk, why don't you be real big about & let Bill drive the car around the block!!It'll put a glow in his eyes that you'll never forget as long as you live, you'll feel great & you'll be forever thanked!!
Go for it, I would do it in a heart beat if it was me.
JimV

[A32Flathead]

I got to meet Col Morgan in '94 on Mud Island in Memphis, he was making a visit to The Belle, where she was on display.

I got to shake his hand, it was a touching moment, I am very sad to hear of his sad death.

RIP

Dave http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

[warbird]

God Bless, Col. Morgan, and thanks for a job well done!

[296 V8]

I saw this post this morning. Shortly thereafter i was out in the garage when I heard a familiar sound, Ran outside just in time to see a beautiful B24 at about 2000 feet flying right over my house. It brought a tear to my eye. We owe all the veterans a lot.

[Lou]

BACK THEN 25 MISSIONS WAS A TRIP INTO HELL. COL MORGAN AND CREW DID SOMETHING NOT MANY WERE ABLE TO DO. THANKS COL MORGAN.

[unpunk01]

JIMY...great idea...I think I might just do that!

[unpunk01]

This post kinda made me curious, as not to divert anything from Col. Morgan, I started another post. I was wondering if you guya might have stories from old timers. See this post...
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB1&Number=413545&fpart=& PHPSESSID=

[rat bastad]

RIP Col. Morgan.

LEST WE FORGET

Rat http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

[MBL]

RIP...a sad day indeed.
Tim
MBL

[Bruce Lancaster]

Some things are just plain not OT no matter what. This belongs everywhere forever.

[Django]

I heard about that on Friday. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

[48_HEMI]

My step dad is hours away from dying has not been able to take food for 6 days. have pictures of him and his crew on a B17 showing nine kills over france and germany. not a hero just a man that did his job and is now wishing this part of his life was over too! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

[Bruce Lancaster]

Get going and try to talk to someone who was there in 1945 today. You won't get many more chances.