Wounded twice while serving in Vietnam, Warsaw resident Jeff Morgan received the Purple Heart.
Tuesday morning, he received the honor of being named the February 2024 Kosciusko County Veteran of the Month at the County Commissioners meeting.
Jeff was born March 31, 1947, in Eaton, Ohio, to Edward and Marjorie Morgan. Jeff has two siblings, Dennis and Jane, according to Jeff’s biography read by Kosciusko County Veteran Service Officer Darryl McDowell to the commissioners Tuesday.
Jeff moved to Warsaw at age 16, graduating from Warsaw High School in 1965. He entered the U.S. Army in June 1966 out of Indianapolis, McDowell said. His basic training was at Fort Dix in New Jersey, with his advanced individual training at Fort Polk, La.
He then departed for Vietnam and was assigned to Bravo Company 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division as a light weapons infantrymen. His duties were to join his fellow Bravo Company personnel to seek out and destroy the North Vietnamese enemy along the Cambodian border.
On March 12, 1967, Jeff was wounded twice by hostile mortar fire while engaged along the Cambodian border, McDowell stated. Jeff was sent to a hospital in Japan. From there he returned to a hospital in America for a short while before returning to active duty at Fort Knox, Ky. At Fort Knox, he was promoted to sergeant. He remained at Fort Knox until he was honorably discharged on June 21, 1968.
His awards include Combat Infantryman Badge, Purple Heart, National Defense Medal, Vietnam Service Medal and Vietnam Campaign Medal.
Serving his country proudly, he returned home to Warsaw to work at United Telephone/CenturyLink until his retirement in 2010, McDowell said.
Jeff and his wife Margie, residents of Warsaw, are the parents of two children, Mike and Tara. They also have seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Jeff loves the outdoors and his hobbies include metal detecting, riding ATVs and spending time with his family. He also works part-time at the Kosciusko Parkview YMCA.
After receiving his framed certificate, Jeff said, “I’m not much of a speaker, but I would like to say I’m very proud of my military service and all the experience I had in my time in the Army. I’m not going to lie, I didn’t especially want to go to Vietnam, like a lot of people, but I had to do it. It’s a choice I had to make. So, right now, I’m glad I did that.”
He then read from a prepared statement he wrote, thanking the commissioners for honoring him with the award, John McDaniel for nominating him and McDowell for his support and help.
“I would also like to thank my family members who are present today and the others who couldn’t be here for all the love and support they have given me for all these years,” Jeff said. “Also, my parents, who I wish were here today.”
He said he didn’t realize the experiences he had as a 19-year-old 57 years ago in Southeast Asia would have such an impact on his life.
“I often think of that day when I saw one of my friends - his name happened to be Lyons - get shot as I was talking to him a few feet away. He fortunately survived his wound, and the same sniper that shot at him then shot at me and missed me by a few inches. Later that day, the enemy had us pinned down with machine gun fire and began shelling us with mortars. I was wounded twice. After I was medevaced to a hospital, first in Vietnam, I learned of the deaths of three of my friends - Horn, Burlingame and Barrett - all three I knew well,” Jeff said.
From South Vietnam, he was sent to Japan to a hospital, and later to the United States.
“I thank the Lord for every day of my life I’ve had since then. God bless America,” Jeff concluded.