Pilot  2nd Lt. Jack G. Morris, O-25665 (survived) Ridgefield, WA
Crashed  February 10, 1944

Aircraft History
Built by Vought. This aircraft was initially assigned to VMF-214.

Bruce Gamble reports:
"According to Maj. Henry Miller (flight officer during VMF-214 Black Sheep's second tour) records, and 02566 was flown on one day by Ed Harper. It was flown on a fighter sweep over Rabaul on 12/23/43 and returned to base. That was the only time the plane was in the VMF-214 rotation during that tour, from the records."

Afterwards, it was transfered to VMF-218, and assigned to Jack Morris.

Mission History
Took off Piva Uncle to escort B-25's bombing Vunakanaua Airfield, along with other USN, USAAF and RNZAF fighters. Over the target, Morris' plane was 'tail end charlie' in the whole formation, attacked by a fighter, he was shot down and wounded above the eye, and passed out. Just before crashing, he came to, and bailed out.

Morris spent eight days behind enemy lines, as he made his way out of the jungle and followed a river to towards the sea. He was then rescued in his life raft by a RNZAF PBY Catalina "Dumbo".

Wreckage
Located by David Linley in 1990 east the Warangoi River. Identified by Brian Bennett, the aircraft was recovered from where it crashed in December 1990.

Displayed at the Kokopo War Museum just as it was discovered, nothing has been removed, restored or changed. Live ammunition and twisted metal make this an interesting presentation a WWII relic. Its former pilot, Jack Morris visited the wreckage in 1991.

Brian Bennett adds:
"There was a line of wreckage: two pieces part of the tail and part of the outer wing pannel. He must have touched the jungle on his way down, and the plane had impacted the jungle once before it crashed further up the hill. Morris said his canopy was covered in oil as he was coming in. I surmise he was probably upside down when he bailed out, and the aircraft crashed. He was seconds between life and death."

References
One Angel Left by Jack Morris tells the story of his crash & escape.

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