Kenneth Ranson Morse
MilitaryKilled in Action on 26 February 1943 in B-24D 41-23804 'Sad Sack', 44BG/66BS while serving as Tail Gunner on a mission to bomb the port facilities as Wilhelmshaven, Germany. The aircraft was attacked by fighters near the Initial Point (IP) which caused the loss of 2 engines, started a fire in the bomb bay area, damaged the control cables and killed SGT Morse. Pilot, 1LT Robert McPhillamey, gave the bale out order over the city of Oldenburg, Germany. 8 of the crew baled out and were captured as Prisoners of War but one died the next day. Besides Kenneth Morse, 1 other airman was also killed in the fighter attack.
POW
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 44th Bomb Group 66th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 37113173
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 44th Bomb Group 66th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 14098416
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 44th Bomb Group 66th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-662346
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 44th Bomb Group 66th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-437598
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 44th Bomb Group 66th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-727368
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Sad Sack
- Unit: 44th Bomb Group
Missions
- Date: 26 February 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Pathway
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Eagle Grove, Iowa | 16 November 1921 | |
Other Killed in Action (KIA) |
Oldenburg, Germany | 26 February 1943 | Killed when the aircraft was attacked by fighters near the Initial Point (IPA). |
Buried |
Eagle Grove, IA 50533, USA | 27 February 1943 | Originally buried by the Germans in the Evangelical Parish Cemetery of Bad Zwischenahn, Germany. After the war he remains were reinterred at the Ardennes American Cemetery and later repatriated to Eagle Grove, Iowa. |
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 22-Jun-2015. Made connections to Place, Aircraft and Mission within existing website data; Added decorations and Burial event, added Model letter, aircraft Unit association crew position and loss details per "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces" Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE; Added KIA event per MACR 16053.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Roll of Honor, MACR 16053, Losses of the 8th and 9th AFs Vol. 1 by Bishop and Hey p. 81, The 44th BG Roll of Honor and Casualties by Lundy pp. p. 54-56