Staff Sergeant
United States Army
Howard Edward Morris, the only child of Mark H. and Ruth Emma Liesch Morris, was born on 14 December 1917, in Burlington, Iowa. He was baptized at Burlington’s Evangelical Zion Church on 3 November 1918.
Howard attended school in Burlington, however, he withdrew from Burlington High School on 10 March 1937.
He married the former Betty E. Moore of Wamego, Kansas.
Known for his boxing abilities in Golden Gloves events, Howard enlisted in the United States Army circa 1937. Howard arrived in the European Theater of Operations in 1944. On 11 October, Betty was notified that Howard was reported as Missing-In-Action. Just over four weeks later, his mother was notified that Howard was Killed-In-Action in France on 19 November 1944. After World War 2, his chaplain provided official notification stating how Howard died. According to the chaplain, Howard was leading his squad forward on a scouting mission toward enemy territory when he was hit in the neck by a sniper’s bullet and died instantly. “He had realized the danger ahead and had placed himself in the lead since he did not wish to place one of his men in the most dangerous position,” the chaplain wrote.
Howard was survived by his wife; two daughters, Judith Lynn 1 ½ years old and Barbara Joan 2 ½ years old; his mother Ruth Swan of Burlington; his father of Tulsa, Oklahoma; five half sisters; and one half brother of Tulsa.
Staff Sergeant Howard Edward Morris, United States Army, was buried in the United States Military Cemetery in Limy, France. After World War 2, Howard’s family requested that his remains be brought to Burlington. On 29 November 1948, Howard was buried in Burlington’s Memorial Park Cemetery.
Source of information:
1. Des Moines County Iowa Veterans Buried with Markers, compiled by the Des Moines County Genealogical Society, 1984.
2. The Burlington Hawk-Eye Gazette, 4 December 1944, page 2.
3. National World War II Memorial veteran’s registry; http://www.wwiimemorial.com/
4. The Burlington Hawk-Eye Gazette, 25 July 1945, page 2.
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