d. May 30, 2012 Tucson, Arizona
When Peggy married Jay, he was an officer and pilot in the United States Air Force and served in the 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 432nd Tactical Reconnaisance Wing. He was aircraft commander on an F-4D Phantom II Fighter Jet when it was shot down over North Vietnam on November 25, 1968. He and the pilot, San D. Francisco, successfully ejected from the jet; search teams located the crash site and made voice contact with the crew, but were driven off by small arms fire. It is likely that the crew engaged in a firefight with the Vietcong, possibly killing some. By the time several days later when ground searchers arrived at the site, neither of the crew could be located. Jay was listed in military accounting as both a POW and MIA, but when he was not among the prisoners released from North Vietnamese prisons in 1973, his status changed to just MIA. He was discharged from the Air Force on October 26, 1973 which is the date on his memorial stone in Arlington National Cemetery. While his status was POW/MIA, he was promoted to the rank of Colonel. Peggy was active in the League of Families of American Prisoners in Southeast Asia. The members of the League were in constant communication with U.S. military leaders, and with Senators and Congressman pressing for action on getting a full accounting of POW/MIA soldiers. Over twenty-four years later, on September 23, 1992, representatives from the U. S. Pentagon came to the Morrison home and presented the family with photos of Col. Morrison lying dead in the jungle in Viet Nam, dressed in his flight suit and other clothing. His body has never been found.
Peggy was able to share her story on a national public radio station, in the New York Times, and in Good Housekeeping magazine about being a military wife and mother of two children with a husband MIA in Vietnam. She touched many lives in positive ways as people and soldiers communicated with her during that time.
Colonel Joseph Morrison's service to his country is recognized by a memorial stone in Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D. C. and his name is inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall. A second memorial stone was placed at Black Oak Cemetery in 2025. Peggy passed away at the age of 79 in Tucson. Peggy and Col. Morrison were the parents of David Jed Morrison and Cynthia 'Cindy' Ann Morrison McClanahan; they were a strong Christian family.
Written by Betty Barr with assistance from family members Jan Gates and Jed Morrison and records from Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency.
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