Rank: Specialist 4
Unit: D Company, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 63C – General Vehicle Repairman
Awards: Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device, Purple Heart Medal, Army Commendation Medal with Valor Device, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Unit awards: Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device
Enlisted by: Regular
Date of birth: 21-Jul-1948
Hometown: Portland, Oregon
Marital status: Never Married
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Entered service: 3-Jun-1966
Start of tour: 10-Aug-1968
Incident date: 18-Apr-1969
Date of casualty: 18-Apr-1969
Age at death: 20
Cause of death: Hostile, died. Small Arms Fire. Gun or small arms fire.
Joseph Edward Morrow Jr was killed while passenger on a military vehicle on combat operation when a hostile force was encountered. / Passenger on tank on combat operation when engaged hostile force in firefight.
Nine Blackhorse troopers died as a result of this incident:
SP4 James Alexander Baka
SP4 Thomas M. Fitzpatrick
2LT Daniel Michael Leahy
SP5 Roy Francis Maas
SGT Don Jay McAtee
SP4 Robert Leroy Morgan Jr
SP4 Joseph Edward Morrow Jr
SP4 Donald William Noel
SP4 Ronald Eugene Pongratz
Location of fatality: Tay Ninh, South Vietnam, XT 430 600
Place of interment: Willamette National Cemetery, Portland, Oregon, USA
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ARMY COMMENDATION MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE
POSTHUMOUS
SPECIALIST FOUR JOSEPH EDWARD MORROW
18 APRIL 1969
D COMPANY, 1st SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Specialist Four Morrow distinguished himself by heroism in connection with military operations against a hostile force on 18 April 1969 while serving with Company D, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date while on a reconnaissance mission, Company D came under small arms, automatic weapons, and anti-tank rocket fire from a well-entrenched enemy force. As his tank led an assault on the hostile fortifications, Specialist Morrow exposed himself to the intense enemy fire in order to place suppressive fire on the hostile positions. While he was surveying the area to pinpoint targets for his tank commander, he was hit and mortally wounded by enemy small arms fire. Specialist Four Morrow’s courage and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.
Headquarters, II Field Force Vietnam General Orders No. 1243 (23 May 1969)