Lieutenant Colonel John Carey Morgan, An Airman's Story
Lieutenant Colonel John Carey Morgan, An Airman's Story
John Carey Morgan, known as “Red,” was born on August 24, 1917, in Vernon, Texas. He attended a local military school, graduating in 1931, and briefly enrolled in several colleges, including the University of Texas, before leaving formal education altogether. Seeking independence and adventure, Morgan traveled to Fiji, where he supervised a pineapple plantation.
In 1938, Morgan returned to Texas and took a position with Texaco at an oil drilling site. An industrial accident severely injured him, breaking his neck and leaving him medically unfit for military service. The United States armed forces rejected his enlistment. Rather than accept that decision, Morgan looked elsewhere. In August 1941, with war spreading across Europe, he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force, omitting mention of his prior injuries.
After flight training in Saskatchewan, Morgan was sent to England, where he quickly proved himself as a capable and determined aviator. He flew B-17 Flying Fortress bombers with the Eighth Air Force and rose steadily through the ranks. His experience and skill made continued service with a foreign air force unnecessary, and on March 23, 1943, he was officially transferred to the United States Air Force (Army Air Forces).
On July 28, 1943, then–Lieutenant John Carey Morgan served as co-pilot aboard a B-17 on a bombing mission to Hanover, Germany. En route to the target, the aircraft was attacked by enemy fighters and sustained catastrophic damage. The pilot, Lieutenant Robert Campbell, was severely wounded in the head, suffering fractured skull injuries. Despite his condition, Campbell attempted to remain at the controls.
At the same time, a turret gunner had suffered traumatic injuries that required the amputation of his arm. Morgan, assisted by the navigator, succeeded in helping the wounded airman bail out of the aircraft. Meanwhile, the remaining crewmen in the rear compartments were struggling to breathe due to damaged oxygen systems.
Recognizing that the pilot was no longer capable of safely flying the aircraft, Morgan forcibly took control of the bomber, physically wrestling the controls from Lieutenant Campbell, who repeatedly attempted to regain command despite his fatal wounds. Morgan lowered the aircraft to an altitude where the crew could breathe, stabilized the crippled bomber, and completed the bombing mission, releasing the payload over the target.
For the remainder of the flight, Morgan was forced to continually fight off the wounded pilot while maintaining control of the aircraft under enemy threat. He successfully returned the bomber to base. Lieutenant Robert Campbell later succumbed to his injuries.
For his extraordinary heroism, determination, and complete disregard for his own safety, Lieutenant John Carey Morgan was awarded the Medal of Honor.
In October 1943, Morgan was transferred to the 482nd Bombardment Group. On March 6, 1944, while leading one of the first major American bombing raids on Berlin, his aircraft was shot down. Morgan survived and was captured, spending the remainder of the war as a prisoner at Stalag Luft I in Barth, Germany.
After World War II, Morgan returned to civilian life and resumed employment with Texaco, transitioning into a sales role rather than returning to hazardous drilling operations. During the Korean War, he voluntarily returned to active duty, taking a three-year leave of absence. He flew cargo aircraft between stateside bases and served in the office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force.
Lieutenant Colonel John Carey “Red” Morgan died on January 17, 1991. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
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a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller traveling through life
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