Chief Warrant Officer Robert Allen Morris: Age 93

Chief Warrant Officer (CWO4) Robert Allen Morris served 25 years in the U.S. Navy. His Navy Enlisted Classification (NEC) included Seaman, Boilerman, Ship Construction and Repair Superintendent and Auxiliary Machinery Officer (9302). His Naval service on five Naval ships included one tour off the coast of Korea and three tours off the coast of Vietnam as well as European service in the Mediterranean Sea. His medals and ribbons included: Combat Action ribbon, Navy Unit Commendation, Republic Vietnam Campaign, Vietnam Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Ribbon (Korea), United Nations Service Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation Ribbon, Navy Commendation Medal, Good Conduct Medal (2nd Award), Navy Occupation Service Medal and European Clasp.

CWO4 Morris was born October 2, 1931 to his parents, Elmer and Clara Morris, at Dayton, Ohio, where he graduated from Oakwood High School in June 1950. CWO4 Morris enlisted in the U.S. Navy at Cincinnati, Ohio. CWO4 Morris served twice including his first enlistment beginning January 8, 1951 until November 29, 1954 for three years and seven months. His second enlistment began May 18, 1957 until April 1, 1978 for 21 years.

CWO4 Morris volunteered and reported for Naval Boot Camp duty at the San Diego Naval Training Center and served there until April 1951. He began serving on Naval ships with duty on the U.S. Belle Grove (LSD-2) an Ashland-class dock landing ship, during April to July 1951. He then attended the Class A Boilerman School at Philadelphia, PA during July through October 1952. On May 16, 1953, he was promoted to Boiler Technician 3. He was then assigned for service on the USS Magoffin (APA-199), a Haskell-class attack transport, at San Diego. From there, he sailed to the coast of Korea where the Korean War was in its final stages, and from there U.S. Marines were transported to San Francisco. CWO4 Morris was then honorably discharged November 29, 1954 at Treasure Island Naval Station at San Francisco after serving three years, 10 months and 22 days.

Between the end of this period of military service and the beginning of his second period of military service, he worked assembling computers for the Sperry- Rand Corporation at Norwalk, CT, during December 1954 until he worked for Darien Sunoco at Darien, CT, and until he re-enlisted in the U.S. Navy May 1957 at New York City, NY. He was transferred to the Naval Station Norfolk, VA, to serve on the US Ft Mandan (LSD-21), a Casa Grande-class dock landing ship, often sailing to the Mediterranean Sea until May 1958 and was promoted to Boilerman 1/C. Next, he was transferred during May to December 1959 to the Navy Nuclear Power Training Unit, (NPTU) a training center at Mare Island, CA, that prepares sailors and officers to operate and maintain nuclear power on board the Navy’s aircraft carriers and submarines so they may deter enemies and win wars. Then he was assigned to the NTPU at Idaho Falls, ID, that had an exact replica of the USS Enterprise during December to August 1960. After completing his training to operate a nuclear power plant, he was assigned to serve on the USS Enterprise (CVA (N)-65, a nuclear aircraft carrier, for six years, and during this time, he was promoted to Boilerman Chief and then to Warrant Officer W-2 March 1, 1966. His service on the Enterprise encompassed sailing to Australia and then to Vietnam during 1966-1967, 1969-1970 and 1972-1975 and back to CA. He was then transferred to the Navy’s Warrant Officers Command School for four weeks of training until May 1966. Next, he was transferred to the USS Oklahoma City (CLG-5), a Cleveland-class light cruiser, June 1966 until March 1970 with trips to Yokosuka, Japan. He was appointed Warrant Officer W-2 March 1, 1968. Next, he transferred to the ResSupships at the Long Beach office at San Diego, CA, in March 1970. He was then transferred back to the USS Oklahoma (CLG-5) from February 1972 until April 1975. He was appointed Warrant Officer W-3 March 1, 1972, followed by being transferred to Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard at Pearl Harbor, HI, working as Maintenance Supervsor in April 1975. He was appointed Warrant Officer W-4 March 1, 1976. CWO4 Morris retired from all military service at Pearl Harbor March 31, 1978.

After his military retirement, CWO4 Morris worked for Bechtel Power Corporation building nuclear power plants during March 1, 1978-1986. Then he worked as Maintenance Supervisor at the Scottsdale Hotel in Scottsdale, Arizona, for 18 months. Since all retirement, he has raised racking horses, a horse breed derived from the Tennessee Walking Horse known for its distinctive single foot gait, and he has grown timber on his property.

He and his wife, Elizabeth, have been married 38 years, and he has three stepchildren, four step-grandchildren and four step-greatgrandchildren. They are members of the Woodland Methodist Church in Pike Road, AL

CWO4 Morris’ conclusions about what his military service means to him are: “I enjoyed serving in the Navy. I thought that I would go back to farming after I got out the first time, but because of high medical bills for my children, I decided to go back to the Navy.” He would like people to remember him as a friend.