Graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in the Class of 1954, and accepted a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. He transferred to the U.S. Army in 1963.

Morrie is the son of then-First Lieutenant Blackshear Morrison Bryan, U.S. Army [Honoree Record ID 3265] and Catherine DeArmand Bryan. His father retired as a Lieutenant General. He was born at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point Hospital on 28 October 1929 during his father's tenure as Assistant Football Coach.

In July 1950, Morrie was one of the tall, young men entering the USMA to begin his journey toward a military career. Influenced by Air Force orientations, Morrie was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force upon his graduation in 1954. In 1955, his dad was Superintendent of the Academy and, during his father’s tenure as Superintendent, 2LT Morrie Bryan married his sweetheart, Catherine, at the Cadet Chapel.

After flight school, Morrie qualified as an F-86D pilot and then joined the 323rd Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Truax AFB, WI, where his family began to grow. He was soon transferred to Japan, where the members of his young family experienced one of the happiest periods of their lives. He taught conversational English to their neighbors and Japanese to his family. Their son Morrison went to Japanese school, while his younger sister Claudia stayed home with Mom, enjoying their Japanese community. Morrie was then assigned to Germany, and while living there, the family took countless excursions to explore sights Dad had spotted from the cockpit.

As a Captain, in 1963 Morrie made an unusual, but not unique, request for a transfer to the Army. Assigned to the Transportation Corps, he completed flight transition and was ordered to the Army Transportation Research and Engineering Command at Fort Eustis, VA, where his daughter Catherine Anne was born.

On 22 September 1967, as he was rounding out a tour in Vietnam, Major Blackshear Morrison Bryan, Jr. was serving with U.S. Army Vietnam Flight Detachment, 210th Aviation Battalion, 12th Aviation Group, 1st Aviation Brigade, in Phuoc Tuy Province, South Vietnam.

On that day, MAJ Bryan was killed when the U-21A fixed-wing aircraft he was piloting crashed while landing as he attempted to avoid trespassers on the runway. His body was recovered.

Badge and Medals

Army Aviator Badge
Air Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Vietnam Service Medal
Vietnam Campaign Medal

Honors

The name Blackshear M Bryan, Jr is located on Panel 26E Line 111 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.

Family

In addition to his father, Morrie's younger brother, James Edward 'Jamie' Bryan [Honoree Record ID 3266], also graduated from the U.S. Military Academy (Class of 1965). Major Jamie Bryan also died in the crash of a military aircraft on 14 September 1977.

Burial

Major Blackshear Morrison Bryan, Jr. is buried at the U.S. Military Academy Post Cemetery at West Point, NY. His father, and then his brother, were buried next to him.

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