Page 70 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2018- Online Magazine
P. 70
Horace Morgan Army Engineers:
From the Alcan to the Battle
of the Bulge
by Larry A. Williams
“around the 10th out the porthole every so often to
grade” as he was throw up. I never got sick, but
needed to work on there were a lot of sick guys.”
the farm. He was the Once in Europe, the 35th was
eighth of ten children. sent to northern France, where
He was drafted into they helped capture the port city
the Army on August of Brest as well as thousands of
10, 1942 in Lubbock enemy soldiers. Heading east,
and sent to Ft. Sill, they cleared mines and repaired
Oklahoma for basic roads and bridges.
training. Assigned
to the 35th Engineer
Battalion, he was
shipped to British
Columbia to help build
the Alaska-Canadian
(Alcan) Highway. The
secret project started
in March 1942. The
objective was to build
a road to provide an
overland route to
American air bases in
e was born in Winters, Canada and Alaska. It
Texas in 1921, raised on a was thought at the time that the
Hfarm in Amherst, Texas, Japanese would try to invade
and this dangerous location the U.S. mainland through
across the world was the last Alaska. The 400-mile road
place Horace Morgan expected (which included 20 bridges) was
to find himself. PFC Morgan built over rugged terrain in 18
and his buddies heard Germans months. Seven different engineer
coming down the road. They battalions worked to complete On September 28, the 35th
hit the ditch, played dead and the road. crossed into Belgium. Horace
prayed they would not be seen. remembered, “I was driving a
Morgan noted, “You didn’t really The 35th returned to the U.S. in truck all over. I saw casualties
know when it was safe to raise September 1943 and reorganized piled up, and I would notify our
your head up.” The German at Camp White, Oregon. The guys to go out and pick them
patrol finally did pass by, and the battalion was moved to Camp up.” During this time, he also
weary GIs moved on to one more Shanks, New York, where they helped to capture and guard
town – one more to be taken in helped build and improve the German prisoners. He recalled
the push for victory in Europe. camp’s facilities while preparing that “one of the men got hit (by
Horace was part of the 35th for entry into the European gunfire) and the bullet just went
Engineer Combat Battalion. His Theatre. They shipped out on right across his stomach; it didn’t
company had been “moving all July 2, 1944 for the trip across the even seem to hurt him.” An M-1
around Europe.” Atlantic. Horace recalled that sharpshooter, Morgan said he got
“all the guys were sick. One of to target practice so much that “I
Horace left school at Amherst the guys would stick his head got pretty good.” On December
70 Lubbock Senior Link
