Morris E Gant (1923 - 1945)

Born 22 Feb 1923 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States

Died 15 Apr 1945 at age 22 in Pescara, Italy

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Biography

FO Morris Gant was Killed in Action during World War II.

Morris Gant is a Military Veteran.
Served in the United States Army Air Force 99th Fighter Squadron 1944-1945
Tuskegee Airman flying Ace

Morris Gant was awarded the Purple Heart.

Morris was born in 1923 in Chicago to Phillip Gant and Maggie Hickman. He was the middle child of three.^[1] His father worked for an insurance company.

Morris attended Englewood High School where he received a special medal as a cadet enrolled in the ROTC program.^[2] He was a member of the Tuskegee Airmen, commissioned as a Flight Officer in September of 1944,^[3] and assigned to 99th Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group. He was stationed at Ramitelli, Italy.

On April 14, 1945, Morris was flying a P-51 nicknamed Sonny Boy, departing from Ramaitelli Air Base on a strafing mission to Munich/Salzburg/Linz/Pilzen. ^[4] His plane went missing approximately 12 miles northeast from Pescara, Italy. Lt. Emile G. Clifton, Jr released a statement that Morris had called that he was low on fuel. He throttled back and fell out of formation as if he were leaving to look for a nearby field. He was told by flight commander to land at nearest field. ^[5]Morris was not located at any field between Ramitelli and Termoli.

He was reported Missing in May of 1947 ^[6] but was listed among the army dead a month later.^[7]. It is not clear where Morris is buried.

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KWT1-ZHH : 8 January 2021), Phillip Gant, Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 103-320, sheet 65B, line 53, family 568, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 931.
2. ↑ Englewoos High School Yearbook: 1940 pg 61.
3. ↑ Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct 1944, pg1.
4. ↑ Missing Air Crew Report # 13813
5. ↑ Missing Air Crew Report # 13813
6. ↑ Chicago Sun, 27 May 1945, pg 14
7. ↑ Daily times, 22 Jun 1945

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