Page 71 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2018- Online Magazine

wwii

15, 1944, the Battle of the Bulge began, and the 35th was called up to
help defend Bastogne from the German forces only nine miles away.
Along with his good buddies, Lee Regenauer and Hank Ridgway,
Morgan helped set up a .50 caliber machine gun position and mines
on the road while they rotated guard shifts. The 35th had spent three
hard days defending the town. The 101st Airborne finally arrived and
helped hold the town, which was a major turning point of the battle.

After a long hard winter and spring, the war was finally over, and
Horace found himself “in Italy waiting for enough points to be sent
home.” He was “scheduled to go to Japan, but the war ended there,
too.” He finally arrived at Ft. Dix, New Jersey and was discharged
on November 17, 1945. He took a train to Lubbock and thoughtfully
remembers that the “family just sat and looked at him. One of the
brothers left at home had constantly prayed for our safe return.” All
three brothers made it home safely.
Back home and farming, Horace was introduced to Ellen Corley by a
mutual friend. He simply said, “I liked her, and she liked me.” They Horace went on the 2013 Texas
married in January 1946. They had two girls and two boys. Ellen
passed away June 11, 2018 after 72 years of marriage. South Plains Honor Flight.
Horace Morgan is a wonderful example of what we imagine when
we try and think of the young soldiers America sent to war to save
the world 75 years ago. They were united in their mission and brave
and tenacious in the execution of it. The Army engineers’ motto is
“Essayons” - Let us try. They tried; they succeeded; they secured
victory for the Allies and for freedom. As he looks back to his service,
the 97-year-old understates, “When they said go, we went.” Thank
you, to you and all your brothers in arms, for “going”.

Lubbock Senior Link 71