Today marks 55 years since the death of U.S. Marine from Wilcox County

USMC Sgt. Jesse Frank Morgan

Today – Dec. 16 – marks 55 years since the tragic death of 24-year-old Jesse Frank Morgan in Vietnam.

Morgan was born in Camden on Feb. 3, 1941 to Jesse and Louise Dumas Morgan, and he apparently enlisted in the United States Marine Corps right out of high school. He’d been in the Marine Corps for six years when he reenlisted in Los Angeles on Sept. 18, 1964. At that time, Morgan had risen to the rank of sergeant and was assigned as a rifleman to Bravo Company, 1^st Battalion, 4^th Marine Regiment, 3^rd Marine Division.

Morgan’s unit arrived in South Vietnam in early 1965 and during Morgan’s time there, the division was involved in Operation Starlite. This mission took place in August 1965 and aimed to protect the air base at Chu Lai from Viet Cong forces with Marines like Morgan making amphibious landings and coming into the action by helicopter. Viet Cong forces faced overwhelming firepower from U.S. forces and eventually had to withdraw from the area, but both sides claimed victory.

Later that year, in December 1965, 1^st Battalion Marines were still conducting operations around Chu Lai with Morgan and the rest of Bravo Co. located at a small patrol base near the village of Xuan My, in the Quang Tin province. Tragically, the pilot of a Huey helicopter on its way back to its base spotted the Marines, mistook them for Viet Cong and fired two 40-mm rockets into the group of Marines on the ground. Morgan was one of two Marines killed in the deadly incident.

The other Marine killed that day was a 21-year-old corporal named Auburn Wood Foreman Jr., a machine gunner who was also from Alabama. Foreman was a native of Etowah County, who by chance had also been assigned to Bravo Co. Foreman was laid to rest in the Shiloh Cemetery in Atalla.

At the time of his death, Morgan was married to Barbara E. DeWitt Morgan of Hampton, South Carolina. They had two sons, Jeffery Morgan and Patrick Morgan. Oddly, according to Morgan’s obituary, “just a week before (Morgan’s death), Mrs. Morgan had won a free Christmas telephone call to her Marine husband at his post in Vietnam, and arrangements were being made to put his call through. She was excitedly anticipating a phone conversation with her husband when a U.S. Marine Corps officer from Parris Island arrived at her home to deliver the tragic message to her.”

As a decorated U.S. Marine with over six years of service under his belt, Morgan was a credit to himself and to his hometown of Camden. Morgan received a number of awards and medals during his military career, including the Combat Action Ribbon, Vietnam Gallantry Cross, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Service Medal and a Marine Corps Presidential Unit Citation. He also received the Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal and a Marksmanship Badge.

Morgan was laid to rest in the Johnson-Saint Paul Cemetery in Hampton, S.C. In the months and years to come, if any readers find themselves in Washington, D.C., take the time to visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall on the National Mall. It’s there – on Panel 04e, Line 19 – that you’ll find Morgan’s name etched in black granite alongside 58,317 other names of service members killed in Vietnam.

In the end, I’d like to hear from anyone in the reading audience with more information about Morgan or from anyone with memories to share about his early life in Wilcox County. Where did he attend school and when did he graduate? Did he play sports? Where did he go to church? Any information is welcome as we remember the life of this Marine, who made the ultimate sacrifice thousands of miles from home.