Joseph William “Bill” was born on 24 July 1924 to James Allen Morrell and Cassie Belle Miller. He married Mary Jeanette Bingham on 18 September 1944 at Elizabethton, Tenn. He was a graduate of Cloudland High School and was employed in the Chemical laboratory at North American Rayon Corporation previous to entering service in March 1943.
He Died 20 January 1945
Buried at Happy Valley Memorial Cemetery, Elizabethton, TN
Sergeant
765th Bomber Squadron, 461st Bomber Group, 15th Air Force
Joseph Morrell graduated from the B-24 Liberator bomber mechanics school at Keesler Field, Biloxi, Mississippi in January, 1944. He completed a 17-week course in airplane mechanic’s tools, electric and hydraulic systems, instruments, propellers, fuel systems, engine operation and aircraft inspection. He then went to a combat training school at Davis-Monthan Field, Tucson, Arizona where he graduated in September, 1944. He was a graduate of Cloudland High School. Prior to entering the service he was employed in a chemical laboratory in an Elizabethton rayon plant.
Aircraft B-24J with serial number 42-51378 departed from Torretta Field in Italy in a bombing mission to Linz, Austria. Shortly before the bombs were dropped they received a direct hit in the bomb bays. The aircraft peeled off to the right and broke in two behind the wing and burst into flames. The stabilizer and a part of the wing dismounted in the air. The rest of the airplane crashed in a house at the Helletzgruberstrasse at Linz, exploded and burnt up. Six bodies (Helwig, Krueger, Morrell, Raimo, Yancy and Kenyon) were identified. Three bodies were found later and could not be identified. Sgt Morrell and his crew were initially buried in a cemetery at Linz in Austria.
Crew members
Pilot, 2nd Lt James R. Yancy
Co-Pilot, 2nd Lt August H. Albregts
Navigator, F/O George Raimo
Bombardier, F/O John H. Krueger
Tail Turret Gunner, Cpl Fred A. Helwig Jr.
Ball Turret Gunner, Cpl Anthony J. Monaco
Top Turret Gunner, Cpl Arthur M. Harris Jr.
Nose Turret Gunner, Cpl Robert H. Gibbs
Left Waist Gunner, Cpl George L. Mc Rae
Right Waist Gunner, Cpl Joseph W. Morrell
Photographer, S/Sgt Lloyd E. Kenyon
- Rank: Sergeant
- Date of birth: 24 July 1924
- Date of death: 20 January 1945
- County: Carter
- Hometown: Elizabethton
- Service Branch: Army/Army Air Forces
- Division/Assignment: 765th Bomber Squadron, 461st Bomber Group
- Theater: Europe
- Conflict: World War II
- Awards: Purple Heart
- Burial/Memorial Location: Happy Valley Memorial Cemetery, Elizabethton, TN
- Location In Memorial: Pillar VIII, Top Panel
- Contact us to sponsor Joseph W. Morrell
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