Two Friends Join Company G

Jack Morton joined Company G as a replacement on Fiji at the end of 1943. He had trained with Clayton Brown at Fort Ord, in California. Both men were assigned to the 2nd Platoon, "Roy's Raiders."

Silver Star

During the October 1944 offensive on Bougainville, Morton was awarded a Silver Star. While attacking a pillbox, a man from the unit, Arnold West, was killed. In the ensuing action, Morton led a savage attack to knock out the pillbox. The citation at right reads like something out of a Hollywood screenplay. Note that another man of the unit, Robert Egler, was also awarded a Silver Star in the same set of orders.

Awarded the Silver Star

In a formal ceremeny, Morton's Silver Star is pinned on his uniform by an unnamed officer.

Commissioned a Second Lieutenant

In May 1945 on Cebu, Morton was the recipient of one of the most prestigious advancements in the Army - a battlefield commission. He was technically "discharged" from the Army, and then returned to duty as a commissioned officer. The Morning Report at right shows the two steps in this process happening simultaneously.

Morton participated in the occupation of Japan, but was sent back to the Philippines for hospitalization for illness. After release from the hospital, he took a long route back to Japan (several months, in fact), and by the time he got there, the 182nd Infantry had left the country. He made it home safely to the United States, where he resettled in Oregon, and remained lifelong friends with Clayton Brown. He passed away in 2008.