 | MORTON, Walter P: 28 Dec 1919 - 31 Oct 2003
Source: online newspaper posting
Abilene News Reporter, Abilene, Texas, Sunday, November 2, 2003
Col. Walter P. 'Walt' Morton, Jr. (Retired), 83, died Friday, October 31, 2003 in a local hospital. Services will be Monday, November 3, 2003, at 11 a.m. at the First Christian Church Disciples of Christ with the Rev. Chris Diebel officiating under the direction of Girdner-Brown Funeral Home, 111 Elm. Col. Morton was born December 28, 1919 in Springfield, Tennessee. He graduated from Pinehurst High School in Pinehurst North Carolina. He received his undergraduate degree from Pepperdine University in California and a Juris Doctorate of the University of Denver College of Law. Col. Morton enlisted in the United States Army in January of 1942 at Fort Oglethap and entered the Army Air Corp and took pilot training at Williams Air Field in Arizona. He was commissioned a 2nd Lt. on August 28, 1942 and later became Operations Officer of the training squadron. Col. Morton served in the Alutian Islands during WWII with the 344th Fighter Squadron where he flew 96 combat missions and was a Flight Commander and Operations Officer. He later served in Waycross, Georgia as a Flight Commander and then at Lowery Air Field in Denver, Colorado as the Assistant Staff Judge Advocate. Col. Morton served in Korea with the 39th Fighter Squadron and flew 103 combat missions. He was posted in Nogoia, Japan and served as Assistant Staff JAG for the 5th Air Force. Col. Morton then returned to Lowry Field where he was Assistant JAG and Assistant Operations and Plans Officer and later to Shepard AFB, Texas, where he served as the Operations and Plans and Personnel Officer. At Offiatt AFB, Lincoln, Nebraska, he served as a pilot, comptroller, and commander of the 98th Air Refueling Squadron. Col. Morton then served in Fort Churchill as a Group Commander and later at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, he served as Vice Base Commander and Deputy Personnel Officer for the 2nd Air Force. Col. Morton also served as the Pentagon Chief of Global Plans and Policy. He then served as Deputy Base Commander of the 98th Combat Support Squadron at Dyess AFB, Abilene, Texas where he retired on September 30, 1971. During his career, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, and Ribbon with six clusters. Col. Morton practiced law in Abilene from 1971 to present and was known for his Christmas hat and the many gifts he presented to personnel at the Taylor County Courthouse, the Sheriff's Office and the county jail. In addition to his military service, Walt was known for his community service beginning as a member of the Abilene Chamber of Commerce 'Key Men' in 1979. The Key Men later became known as the Redcoat Committee, of which Walt was distinguished as one of two lifetime members, Redcoat of the Year on numerous occasions, and Chairman of the Redcoat Committee in 2000. Walt was a member of the Abilene Southwest Rotary Club where he enjoyed a 40 year perfect attendance record. He was also a member of the Texas Retired Officers Association and the State Bar of Texas. Walt served faithfully on numerous committees in all of the various organizations until his death. Walt is survived by three sisters, Ruth Cunningham of Oakridge, CA, Willa Sanders of Nashville, TN and Margaret Porter of Como, Miss.; a son, Jeffery Morton of Midland; a daughter, Natalie Matthews, D.V.M. of Abilene; two granddaughters, Sarah Morton and Rebecca Morton of Midland; and 'Lucky,' his faithful fox terrier. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the Rotary Foundation, the Cancer Services Network, or Hendricks Hospice. Girdner-Brown Funeral Home
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