Thomas Davis Morgan
First Lieutenant, U.S. Army

In November 1951, First Lieutenant Thomas Davis Morgan was serving as a Platoon Leader with Company I, 3rd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, in Korea.

On 19 November, 1LT Morgan's unit was engaged with enemy forces in the vicinity of Kumhwa, North Korea, and 1LT Morgan led his platoon in an attack against a numerically superior hostile force occupying heavily fortified hill positions. As 1LT Morgan's platoon advanced toward their objective, they were subjected to a heavy volume of small-arms, automatic weapons and mortar fire. 1LT Morgan moved through the fire while directing the fire of his men and constantly urging them forward. When the advance was halted by a group of enemy soldiers firing a machine-gun from an almost inaccessible bunker, 1LT Morgan moved across the fire-swept terrain and single-handedly neutralized the bunker and took three prisoners. He was wounded during the assault, but refused to leave his men. Instead, he directed the men in holding their positions against the hostile force that was preparing to attack. In a heavy mortar barrage that preceded the hostile attack, 1LT Morgan was again wounded. Several of his men offered to brave the enemy fire to evacuate him, but he ordered them to fall back to more tenable positions without him. 1LT Morgan was last seen occupying a forward emplacement, still shouting directions to his men as they withdrew. In the enemy attack that followed, 1LT Morgan's position was overrun by the numerically superior enemy. His courageous actions, heroism, and devotion to saving his men earned 1LT Morgan the U.S. Army's second highest award for valor, the Distinguished Service Cross.

Medals, Awards and Badges

Distinguished Service Cross
Purple Heart
National Defense Service Medal
Korean Service Medal
United Nations Service Medal
Republic of Korea War Service Medal
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
Combat Infantryman Badge

Distinguished Service Cross Citation

The President of the United States of America, under the provisions of the Act of Congress approved July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to First Lieutenant (Infantry) Thomas Davis Morgan (ASN: 0-2017887), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving with Company I, 3d Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. First Lieutenant Morgan distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces in the vicinity of Kumhwa, Korea, on 19 November 1951. On that date Lieutenant Morgan led his platoon in an attack against a numerically superior hostile force occupying heavily fortified hill positions. As the friendly force advanced toward their objective, they were subjected to a heavy volume of small-arms, automatic weapons and mortar fire. With a total disregard for his personal safety, Lieutenant Morgan moved through the devastating fire, fearlessly directing the fire of his men and constantly urging them forward. When the advance was halted by a stubborn group of enemy soldiers firing a machine-gun from an almost inaccessible bunker, Lieutenant Morgan unhesitatingly moved across the fire-swept terrain and single-handedly neutralized the bunker and took three prisoners. During this courageous assault he was painfully wounded, but he refused to leave his men. Instead, he directed the men holding their positions against the hostile force which was preparing to attack in an effort to drive the platoon from the hill. In a heavy mortar barrage which preceded the hostile attack, Lieutenant Morgan was again wounded. At this time several of his men offered to brave the enemy fire in order to evacuate him. Not wishing to endanger the lives of his men, Lieutenant Morgan ordered them to fall back to more tenable positions without him. He was last seen occupying a forward emplacement, still shouting directions to his men as they withdrew. In the hostile attack which followed, this position was overrun by the numerically superior enemy.

General Orders: Headquarters, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea: General Orders No. 15 (January 7, 1952)

Memorialization

First Lieutenant Thomas Davis Morgan was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in North Korea and his remains have never been recovered. He is memorialized with his name inscribed on Court 6 of the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial in Honolulu, HI.

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