Herschel Scott Morgan

Herschel Morgan enlisted in the Aviation Cadet Program of the U.S. Air Force on March 26, 1954, and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant and awarded his pilot wings at Bryan AFB, Texas, on August 16, 1955. After completing F-84 Thunderstreak training and reconnaissance training, he was assigned as an RF-84 Thunderflash pilot with the 29th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron at Shaw AFB, South Carolina, from June to September 1956, followed by service with the 6021st and 6091st Reconnaissance Squadrons at Yokota and Johnson AB, Japan, from September 1956 to December 1957. Lieutenant Morgan next served as an RF-101 Voodoo pilot with the 15th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron at Kadena AB, Okinawa, from January 1958 to August 1959. After completing Weapons Controller School at Tyndall AFB, Florida, Captain Morgan served as a Weapons Controller with the Portland Air Defense Sector at Adair AFS, Oregon, from November 1959 to June 1962, and then with the 6146th Air Force Advisory Group and 314th Air Division in South Korea from June 1962 to July 1963. His next assignment was as an RF-101 pilot with the 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron at Misawa AB, Japan, from July 1963 to until he was forced to eject over North Vietnam while on temporary duty to Southeast Asia on April 3, 1965. He had been rotating to Southeast Asia since October 1963, and had flown 94 combat missions before being shot down. Captain Morgan evaded for two days before being captured and taken as a Prisoner of War on April 5, 1965.