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name
MORRISON, Fredric Mackay "Fritz" - Date of
birth
22 September 1921 -
Age
22 -
Place of birth
Highland Park, Wayne County, Michigan -
Hometown
Manistique, Schoolcraft County, Michigan
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-672172 -
Rank
First Lieutenant -
Function
Pilot -
Unit
497th Bombardment Squadron,
344th Bombardment Group, Medium
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
10 May 1944 - Place of
death
Schaarbeek, Belgium
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| D | 30 | 3 |
Immediate family
-
Members
George M. Morrison (father)
Gertrude E. Morrison (mother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-95856 -
Data
Type: B-26B50
Destination: Mons, Belgium
Mission: Bombing of the marshalling yard
MACR: 4511
More information
Fredric M. Morrison attended high school for four years and was a mechanic.He volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States in Chicago, Illinois on 28 March 1942. He trained at Lakeland Linder Airport, Florida and had been overseas since January 1944.
Lt Morrison had participated in approximately 30 missions at the time he was killed in action.
The aircraft was hit by flak and it blew up, both wings were blown off and the fuselage must have been broken in at least four pieces. Pieces of the aircraft were scattered all over the marshalling yard of Brussels. 1st Lt Morrison was fatally injured when the plane was hit. He was slumped over the wheel, in the nose piece of the plane. The co-pilot tried to pull him out but because the nose piece of the plane was heading straight down, he couldn't pull him out.
Three crew members could bail out and were taken prisoner. Three men were killed. They were initially killed at the English section of the cemetery of Evere, Belgium.
A memorial marker is placed next to his mother, Gertrude, at Lakeview Cemetery. It's on a hill with view of Lake Michigan.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.findagrave.com, www.ancestry.com - 1930 Census, www.newspapers.com - The Escanaba Daily Press, www.fold3.com - MACR / WWII Draft Card
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, www.newspapers.com - The Escanaba Daily Press, www.ancestry.com - Kith21