06 Aug 2007 Jim was killed in action while serving as a member of an Army helicopter crew. He was on his second tour of duty in Vietnam, having extended his tour 6 months and had just returned from leave at home. I knew Jim when we were teenagers. I was in the Marine Corps in Vietnam when he died, but did not find out about his death until I returned home. From a friend. E-mail address is not available.

 

A Note from The Virtual Wall On 12 Sep 1967 elements of the 2nd Bn, 502nd Infantry were inserted into a mined landing zone in Quang Tin Province. Five men were killed by the mines, and a sixth died two days later. The six were 2nd Bn, 502nd Infantry: MSG Thomas L. Forbes, Rockmart, GA, HQ Company CPL Thomas E. Francis, Trenton, NJ, A Company PFC Calvin L. McDavis, Oakwood, TX, A Company Aircrew, 71st AHC, 14th Avn Bn, Falcon Avn Group (Prov) SP4 Robert Garcia, San Antonio, TX (DoW 14 Sep 67) SP4 James A. Morrison, Omaha, NE SP4 Efrain J. Robledo, Fort Worth, TX I arrived in-country in early October 1966, assigned to the 151st Transportation Detachment. The first week I was there, in a morning formation the maintenance Sgt asked if anyone wanted to be a crew chief. Jim Morrison and I were the only two that raised our hands. They took Morrison because he had been in-country about two weeks longer than I. On Nov 23rd I started crewing. During the months that followed, every time someone would take a hit or something exciting would occur, Morrison wanted every detail. He said nothing ever happened to him. Morrison extended his tour, went home on extension leave and came back to us. On September 12th, on an insertion of troops on what was to become known as "million dollar hill" the LZ was mined. A mine went off near Morrison's ship disabling it. Efrain Robledo was Morrison's gunner that day because Bob Thomas had the day off. Robledo was helping Morrison to get to a rescue ship and the crew chief of that ship, Robert Garcia, came over to help them. Morrison stepped on another mine. He and Robledo were killed instantly and Garcia was mortally wounded and died on the 14th. Ron Seabolt On the 71st AHC site.

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