It began with the submission of a news paper photo to post on his memorial page from Kaye. The photo is the black and white below showing Junior in his dress uniform. Military records show Lance Corporal Junior Ray Morgan was killed in action in the vicinity of Da Nang, South Vietnam while on patrol. He sustained a gunshot wound to the chest. Further investigation uncovered more information about Junior. Kaye provided the following: "Here is a picture of Junior Ray Morgan that I found in a FCHS [Frankfort Community High School] 1965 yearbook. This is his senior picture. Junior Ray was the son of Ray & Elsie Morgan. I am glad I can be of help to you. I am very proud of our service men and women. I have started a group on Facebook from West Frankfort, IL and made an album with the ones who have served from here. I have only just begun to make a dent but hope to include all. Thanking you again for all you do. Sincerely, Kaye" ( kaye22@mchsi.com) Picture of Junior Ray Morgan from 1965 and the short notice of death clipping. Notice that he had been in country for only a week before he was killed.

Added research efforts resulted in information from Junior's cousin (his oldest cousin on his mother's side), Kenneth Boone. He provided the photograph of Junior Ray in his combat uniform (on the right of medals box above) and the following information: "Junior Ray Morgan was born at Herrin Hospital on December 27, 1946 to Ray and Elsie Hall Morgan of Freeman Spur, Illinois. After Junior graduated from high school in May of 1965, he married Carolyn Gossage from Freeman Spur in December of 1965. He joined the Marines in March of 1966 and went to Boot Camp at Camp Pendleton, California. [In Vietnam] Junior Ray was in 1st Platoon, Company A, 1st Battalion, of the 1st Marine Division. On January 14, 1967, Lance Corporal Junior Ray Morgan was on patrol just north of Da Nang when his unit came under attack. During the fighting, he was shot in the chest. Only 20 years old, Morgan was decorated with several medals including the Purple Heart. On February 1, 1967, Junior Ray Morgan's funeral was held at Freeman Chapel Freewill Baptist Church with the Reverend Aubrey Moore officiating the ceremony."

Junior is buried at Egyptian Memorial Gardens and Mausoleum (Renamed from East Lawn Memorial), Williamson County, Energy, Illinois. He is buried near his parents. His mother Elsie was born on October 3, 1923 in West Bend, to Stelly and Bertha (Kelley) Hall. She married Ray C. Morgan on December 3, 1942, in Jackson, Missouri. He preceded her in death on December 22, 1994. Elsie was 87 years old. At the time of his death, LCPL Junior Ray Morgan was suvived by his wife, Carolyn S (Gossage) Morgan, who resided in West Frankfort, IL. In addition to the death of LCPL Morgan at approximately 1415 hours, another soldier from A Company was lost at 0915 hours when he was mistaken as a Viet Cong. His name was Corporal John Frank Ray Griego, from Santa Fe, New Mexico. -- The Virtual Wall, December 7, 2013

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