Marvin D. Morris
Service # 279934
Rank: Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps
Unit: Company M, Third Battalion, Fourth Marines
Entered Service From: Texas
Date of Death: *27 July 1942, of dysentery and malaria in the Japanese POW Camp 1, Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija Province, Luzon, Philippines 15-121.
Status: Missing In Action. Most likely buried as a 'Unknown" in the Manila American Cemetery.
Memorialized: Tablets of the Missing – United States Army and Army Air Forces at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.
*ABMC says he died 31 October 1942 but Marine and POW's records say he died 27 July 1942.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1920 United States Federal Census (29 January 1920): Lathram Township, Caddo County, Oklahoma (sheet 3A, family 46) – Marvin D. Morris (1 5/12 Oklahoma).
1930 United States Federal Census (16 April 1930): North Lathram Township, Caddo County, Oklahoma (sheet 7B, family 161) – Marvin Morris (11 Oklahoma).
The family moved to Hamlin, Texas where Marvin attended Hamlin High School.
Marvin D. Morris enlisted as a Private (S/N 279934) in the United States Marine Corps on 04 January 1940 at Dallas, Texas.
"Marvin D. Morris, son of B. D. Morris, has been accepted for enlistment in the United States Marine Corps, along with five other West Texas youths, transferred to the Marine Corps Base, San Diego, California, for training. Young Morris was among the first to be accepted for enlistment in the in the U.S. Marine Corps Recruiting Station in Abilene..." Source: The Hamlin Herald (Hamlin, Texas), Friday, 12 January 1940, page 1.
U.S. Marine Corps Muster Rolls – 06 January 1940 to 10 February 1940
Recruit Depot Detachment, Recruit Depot, Base Troops, MCB, San Diego, California
Private Marvin D. Morris (S/N 279934). He enlisted 04 January 1940 and was transferred to San Diego from Dallas, Texas on 06 January 1940 from SRG, Dallas, Texas. On 10 February 1940 he was transferred to MBNY, Mare Island, California.
U.S. Marine Corps Muster Rolls – 10 February 1940 to 11 February 1940
USS SAVANNAH
Private Marvin D. Morris (S/N 279934). On 10 February 1940, he embarked aboard the light cruiser U.S.S. SAVANNAH (CL-42) and sailed from Long Beach, California and disembarked on 11 February 1940 at the Marine Detachment, Navy Yard, Mare Island, California.
U.S. Marine Corps Muster Rolls – 11 February 1940 to 22 March 1940
Casual Company, Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Mare Island, California.
Private Marvin D. Morris (S/N 279934). On 22 March 1940 he was transferred to am Asiatic Station for general assignment via the U.S.S. HENDERSON. They embarked on the 22nd and sailed on 23 March 1940.
U.S. Marine Corps Muster Rolls for April 1940 are missing. He did arrived in the Philippine Islands in
April 1940 and was stationed at the Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Cavite.
U.S. Marine Corps Muster Rolls – 01 May 1940 to 30 April 1941
Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Cavite, Philippine Islands
Private Marvin D. Morris (S/N 279934). He was sick in the USNH, Canacao, P.I. from 14-22 May 1940. Private Morris was temporarily detailed from 10-16 October at Olongapo, P.I. in connection with Gunnery Training and Target Practice. He was temporarily detailed on Corregidor "in connection with patrol" from 05 December - 08 January 1941.
Sometime between May and June he was transferred to Company "C", First Separate Marine Battalion, same post.
.
U.S. Marine Corps Muster Rolls – June 1941 to 26 December 1941
Company "C", First Separate Marine Battalion, MBNY, Cavite, Philippine Islands
Private/Private First Class Marvin D. Morris (S/N 279934). He had been promoted to Private First Class by October 1941.
War broke out on 08 December 1941 and on 10 December, Cavite was bombed. Private First Class Thomas L. Wetherington was killed by bomb fragments, becoming the first Marine to lose his life in defense of the Philippines. Japanese forces began a full-scale invasion of Luzon on 22 December. In response, General Douglas MacArthur, ordered the withdrawal of the American and Filipino forces to the Bataan peninsula to be a part of the Bataan Defense Force. On 26 December the First Separate Marine Battalion were moved to Mariveles, Bataan. "As night fell on 26 December all personnel, equipment, and supplies were in place in the jungle near Mariveles." Over the next couple of days they were moved to Fort Mills, Corregidor Island. On 01 January 1942 the First Separate Marine Battalion was redesignated as 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines. PFC Morris was assigned to Company M, Third Battalion, Fourth Marines as part of the beach defenses in the middle sector on the northeast beaches of the tail of the island (1st Battalion took the east sector, from Malinta Hill to Hooker Point. The 2nd Battalion moved to the west sector). Work began immediately on construction of beach defenses.
U.S. Marine Corps Muster Rolls 01 January 1942 – 06 May 1942
Company M, Third Battalion, Fourth Marines, Corregidor, P. I.
Private First Class/Corporal Marvin D. Morris (S/N 279934). He was promoted to Corporal on 02 April 1942.
On 09 April 1942, Filipino and U.S. forces on Bataan were surrendered and the Japanese were able to mass artillery for an all-out attack of the Rock from just 2 miles away.
"It took no mental giant," wrote Wainwright, "to figure out, that the enemy was ready to come against Corregidor." On the night of 05 May 1942, Japanese forces landed on the island and overwhelmed the garrison, which surrendered at 1200 hours the following day.
Corporal Marvin D. Morris became a prisoner of war. He was taken to the Japanese Cabanatuan POW Camp #1, Nueva Province, Central Luzon, Philippines. Most of the POWs were assigned to work details and farm labor. He was the life of the prison camp according to his friends.
Not long after his imprisonment, Corporal Morris fell ill with a deadly combination of dysentery and malaria. When his condition worsened, he was moved from his regular barracks to a the hospital building termed "Ward Zero" – where the terminally ill awaited their death. Marvin, age 23, succumbed to his illnesses at 3:00 pm on 27 July 1942. He died while sleeping. His death was recorded on a condensed milk can label. He was one of 20 men to die that day, the 1227th prisoner to die since the camp opened just two months before. In all 786 men died in Cabanatuan during the month of July, 1942. By the time the camp was liberated in early 1945, 2,764 Americans had died at Cabanatuan in 2½ years. He was buried in a communal grave in the camp cemetery along with other deceased American POWs who died that day.
Corporal Marvin D. Morris was carried on Marine Records as "Missing in Action" through October 1945 when word of his death reached the War Department. He never was on any prisoner of war list.
After the war, all the remains in the Cabanatuan Prison cemetery that could be found were disinterred (between December 1945 - February 1946) and brought to 7747 USAF Cemetery, Manila #2, Philippine Islands. The deceased in Manila #2 (over 11,000 American soldiers) rested there until their removal to the American Graves Registration Service Manila Mausoleum in the summer of 1948 for positive identification. Unfortunately, no clothing, personal effects nor any other means of identification were found for him and his remains could not be associated with any remains recovered from Cabanatuan. He most likely is buried in the Manila American Cemetery as a "Known but to God". There are 953 men like Corporal Morris who were not identified after the war, "unknowns", permanently interred in the Manila American Cemetery from Cabanatuan.
Corporal Marvin Douglas Morris is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing - United States Marine Corps at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.
Service # 279934
Rank: Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps
Unit: Company M, Third Battalion, Fourth Marines
Entered Service From: Texas
Date of Death: *27 July 1942, of dysentery and malaria in the Japanese POW Camp 1, Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija Province, Luzon, Philippines 15-121.
Status: Missing In Action. Most likely buried as a 'Unknown" in the Manila American Cemetery.
Memorialized: Tablets of the Missing – United States Army and Army Air Forces at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.
*ABMC says he died 31 October 1942 but Marine and POW's records say he died 27 July 1942.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1920 United States Federal Census (29 January 1920): Lathram Township, Caddo County, Oklahoma (sheet 3A, family 46) – Marvin D. Morris (1 5/12 Oklahoma).
1930 United States Federal Census (16 April 1930): North Lathram Township, Caddo County, Oklahoma (sheet 7B, family 161) – Marvin Morris (11 Oklahoma).
The family moved to Hamlin, Texas where Marvin attended Hamlin High School.
Marvin D. Morris enlisted as a Private (S/N 279934) in the United States Marine Corps on 04 January 1940 at Dallas, Texas.
"Marvin D. Morris, son of B. D. Morris, has been accepted for enlistment in the United States Marine Corps, along with five other West Texas youths, transferred to the Marine Corps Base, San Diego, California, for training. Young Morris was among the first to be accepted for enlistment in the in the U.S. Marine Corps Recruiting Station in Abilene..." Source: The Hamlin Herald (Hamlin, Texas), Friday, 12 January 1940, page 1.
U.S. Marine Corps Muster Rolls – 06 January 1940 to 10 February 1940
Recruit Depot Detachment, Recruit Depot, Base Troops, MCB, San Diego, California
Private Marvin D. Morris (S/N 279934). He enlisted 04 January 1940 and was transferred to San Diego from Dallas, Texas on 06 January 1940 from SRG, Dallas, Texas. On 10 February 1940 he was transferred to MBNY, Mare Island, California.
U.S. Marine Corps Muster Rolls – 10 February 1940 to 11 February 1940
USS SAVANNAH
Private Marvin D. Morris (S/N 279934). On 10 February 1940, he embarked aboard the light cruiser U.S.S. SAVANNAH (CL-42) and sailed from Long Beach, California and disembarked on 11 February 1940 at the Marine Detachment, Navy Yard, Mare Island, California.
U.S. Marine Corps Muster Rolls – 11 February 1940 to 22 March 1940
Casual Company, Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Mare Island, California.
Private Marvin D. Morris (S/N 279934). On 22 March 1940 he was transferred to am Asiatic Station for general assignment via the U.S.S. HENDERSON. They embarked on the 22nd and sailed on 23 March 1940.
U.S. Marine Corps Muster Rolls for April 1940 are missing. He did arrived in the Philippine Islands in
April 1940 and was stationed at the Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Cavite.
U.S. Marine Corps Muster Rolls – 01 May 1940 to 30 April 1941
Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Cavite, Philippine Islands
Private Marvin D. Morris (S/N 279934). He was sick in the USNH, Canacao, P.I. from 14-22 May 1940. Private Morris was temporarily detailed from 10-16 October at Olongapo, P.I. in connection with Gunnery Training and Target Practice. He was temporarily detailed on Corregidor "in connection with patrol" from 05 December - 08 January 1941.
Sometime between May and June he was transferred to Company "C", First Separate Marine Battalion, same post.
.
U.S. Marine Corps Muster Rolls – June 1941 to 26 December 1941
Company "C", First Separate Marine Battalion, MBNY, Cavite, Philippine Islands
Private/Private First Class Marvin D. Morris (S/N 279934). He had been promoted to Private First Class by October 1941.
War broke out on 08 December 1941 and on 10 December, Cavite was bombed. Private First Class Thomas L. Wetherington was killed by bomb fragments, becoming the first Marine to lose his life in defense of the Philippines. Japanese forces began a full-scale invasion of Luzon on 22 December. In response, General Douglas MacArthur, ordered the withdrawal of the American and Filipino forces to the Bataan peninsula to be a part of the Bataan Defense Force. On 26 December the First Separate Marine Battalion were moved to Mariveles, Bataan. "As night fell on 26 December all personnel, equipment, and supplies were in place in the jungle near Mariveles." Over the next couple of days they were moved to Fort Mills, Corregidor Island. On 01 January 1942 the First Separate Marine Battalion was redesignated as 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines. PFC Morris was assigned to Company M, Third Battalion, Fourth Marines as part of the beach defenses in the middle sector on the northeast beaches of the tail of the island (1st Battalion took the east sector, from Malinta Hill to Hooker Point. The 2nd Battalion moved to the west sector). Work began immediately on construction of beach defenses.
U.S. Marine Corps Muster Rolls 01 January 1942 – 06 May 1942
Company M, Third Battalion, Fourth Marines, Corregidor, P. I.
Private First Class/Corporal Marvin D. Morris (S/N 279934). He was promoted to Corporal on 02 April 1942.
On 09 April 1942, Filipino and U.S. forces on Bataan were surrendered and the Japanese were able to mass artillery for an all-out attack of the Rock from just 2 miles away.
"It took no mental giant," wrote Wainwright, "to figure out, that the enemy was ready to come against Corregidor." On the night of 05 May 1942, Japanese forces landed on the island and overwhelmed the garrison, which surrendered at 1200 hours the following day.
Corporal Marvin D. Morris became a prisoner of war. He was taken to the Japanese Cabanatuan POW Camp #1, Nueva Province, Central Luzon, Philippines. Most of the POWs were assigned to work details and farm labor. He was the life of the prison camp according to his friends.
Not long after his imprisonment, Corporal Morris fell ill with a deadly combination of dysentery and malaria. When his condition worsened, he was moved from his regular barracks to a the hospital building termed "Ward Zero" – where the terminally ill awaited their death. Marvin, age 23, succumbed to his illnesses at 3:00 pm on 27 July 1942. He died while sleeping. His death was recorded on a condensed milk can label. He was one of 20 men to die that day, the 1227th prisoner to die since the camp opened just two months before. In all 786 men died in Cabanatuan during the month of July, 1942. By the time the camp was liberated in early 1945, 2,764 Americans had died at Cabanatuan in 2½ years. He was buried in a communal grave in the camp cemetery along with other deceased American POWs who died that day.
Corporal Marvin D. Morris was carried on Marine Records as "Missing in Action" through October 1945 when word of his death reached the War Department. He never was on any prisoner of war list.
After the war, all the remains in the Cabanatuan Prison cemetery that could be found were disinterred (between December 1945 - February 1946) and brought to 7747 USAF Cemetery, Manila #2, Philippine Islands. The deceased in Manila #2 (over 11,000 American soldiers) rested there until their removal to the American Graves Registration Service Manila Mausoleum in the summer of 1948 for positive identification. Unfortunately, no clothing, personal effects nor any other means of identification were found for him and his remains could not be associated with any remains recovered from Cabanatuan. He most likely is buried in the Manila American Cemetery as a "Known but to God". There are 953 men like Corporal Morris who were not identified after the war, "unknowns", permanently interred in the Manila American Cemetery from Cabanatuan.
Corporal Marvin Douglas Morris is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing - United States Marine Corps at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.
Marvin D. Morris
Service # 279934
Rank: Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps
Unit: Company M, Third Battalion, Fourth Marines
Entered Service From: Texas
Date of Death: *27 July 1942, of dysentery and malaria in the Japanese POW Camp 1, Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija Province, Luzon, Philippines 15-121.
Status: Missing In Action. Most likely buried as a 'Unknown" in the Manila American Cemetery.
Memorialized: Tablets of the Missing – United States Army and Army Air Forces at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.
*ABMC says he died 31 October 1942 but Marine and POW's records say he died 27 July 1942.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1920 United States Federal Census (29 January 1920): Lathram Township, Caddo County, Oklahoma (sheet 3A, family 46) – Marvin D. Morris (1 5/12 Oklahoma).
1930 United States Federal Census (16 April 1930): North Lathram Township, Caddo County, Oklahoma (sheet 7B, family 161) – Marvin Morris (11 Oklahoma).
The family moved to Hamlin, Texas where Marvin attended Hamlin High School.
Marvin D. Morris enlisted as a Private (S/N 279934) in the United States Marine Corps on 04 January 1940 at Dallas, Texas.
"Marvin D. Morris, son of B. D. Morris, has been accepted for enlistment in the United States Marine Corps, along with five other West Texas youths, transferred to the Marine Corps Base, San Diego, California, for training. Young Morris was among the first to be accepted for enlistment in the in the U.S. Marine Corps Recruiting Station in Abilene..." Source: The Hamlin Herald (Hamlin, Texas), Friday, 12 January 1940, page 1.
U.S. Marine Corps Muster Rolls – 06 January 1940 to 10 February 1940
Recruit Depot Detachment, Recruit Depot, Base Troops, MCB, San Diego, California
Private Marvin D. Morris (S/N 279934). He enlisted 04 January 1940 and was transferred to San Diego from Dallas, Texas on 06 January 1940 from SRG, Dallas, Texas. On 10 February 1940 he was transferred to MBNY, Mare Island, California.
U.S. Marine Corps Muster Rolls – 10 February 1940 to 11 February 1940
USS SAVANNAH
Private Marvin D. Morris (S/N 279934). On 10 February 1940, he embarked aboard the light cruiser U.S.S. SAVANNAH (CL-42) and sailed from Long Beach, California and disembarked on 11 February 1940 at the Marine Detachment, Navy Yard, Mare Island, California.
U.S. Marine Corps Muster Rolls – 11 February 1940 to 22 March 1940
Casual Company, Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Mare Island, California.
Private Marvin D. Morris (S/N 279934). On 22 March 1940 he was transferred to am Asiatic Station for general assignment via the U.S.S. HENDERSON. They embarked on the 22nd and sailed on 23 March 1940.
U.S. Marine Corps Muster Rolls for April 1940 are missing. He did arrived in the Philippine Islands in
April 1940 and was stationed at the Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Cavite.
U.S. Marine Corps Muster Rolls – 01 May 1940 to 30 April 1941
Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Cavite, Philippine Islands
Private Marvin D. Morris (S/N 279934). He was sick in the USNH, Canacao, P.I. from 14-22 May 1940. Private Morris was temporarily detailed from 10-16 October at Olongapo, P.I. in connection with Gunnery Training and Target Practice. He was temporarily detailed on Corregidor "in connection with patrol" from 05 December - 08 January 1941.
Sometime between May and June he was transferred to Company "C", First Separate Marine Battalion, same post.
.
U.S. Marine Corps Muster Rolls – June 1941 to 26 December 1941
Company "C", First Separate Marine Battalion, MBNY, Cavite, Philippine Islands
Private/Private First Class Marvin D. Morris (S/N 279934). He had been promoted to Private First Class by October 1941.
War broke out on 08 December 1941 and on 10 December, Cavite was bombed. Private First Class Thomas L. Wetherington was killed by bomb fragments, becoming the first Marine to lose his life in defense of the Philippines. Japanese forces began a full-scale invasion of Luzon on 22 December. In response, General Douglas MacArthur, ordered the withdrawal of the American and Filipino forces to the Bataan peninsula to be a part of the Bataan Defense Force. On 26 December the First Separate Marine Battalion were moved to Mariveles, Bataan. "As night fell on 26 December all personnel, equipment, and supplies were in place in the jungle near Mariveles." Over the next couple of days they were moved to Fort Mills, Corregidor Island. On 01 January 1942 the First Separate Marine Battalion was redesignated as 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines. PFC Morris was assigned to Company M, Third Battalion, Fourth Marines as part of the beach defenses in the middle sector on the northeast beaches of the tail of the island (1st Battalion took the east sector, from Malinta Hill to Hooker Point. The 2nd Battalion moved to the west sector). Work began immediately on construction of beach defenses.
U.S. Marine Corps Muster Rolls 01 January 1942 – 06 May 1942
Company M, Third Battalion, Fourth Marines, Corregidor, P. I.
Private First Class/Corporal Marvin D. Morris (S/N 279934). He was promoted to Corporal on 02 April 1942.
On 09 April 1942, Filipino and U.S. forces on Bataan were surrendered and the Japanese were able to mass artillery for an all-out attack of the Rock from just 2 miles away.
"It took no mental giant," wrote Wainwright, "to figure out, that the enemy was ready to come against Corregidor." On the night of 05 May 1942, Japanese forces landed on the island and overwhelmed the garrison, which surrendered at 1200 hours the following day.
Corporal Marvin D. Morris became a prisoner of war. He was taken to the Japanese Cabanatuan POW Camp #1, Nueva Province, Central Luzon, Philippines. Most of the POWs were assigned to work details and farm labor. He was the life of the prison camp according to his friends.
Not long after his imprisonment, Corporal Morris fell ill with a deadly combination of dysentery and malaria. When his condition worsened, he was moved from his regular barracks to a the hospital building termed "Ward Zero" – where the terminally ill awaited their death. Marvin, age 23, succumbed to his illnesses at 3:00 pm on 27 July 1942. He died while sleeping. His death was recorded on a condensed milk can label. He was one of 20 men to die that day, the 1227th prisoner to die since the camp opened just two months before. In all 786 men died in Cabanatuan during the month of July, 1942. By the time the camp was liberated in early 1945, 2,764 Americans had died at Cabanatuan in 2½ years. He was buried in a communal grave in the camp cemetery along with other deceased American POWs who died that day.
Corporal Marvin D. Morris was carried on Marine Records as "Missing in Action" through October 1945 when word of his death reached the War Department. He never was on any prisoner of war list.
After the war, all the remains in the Cabanatuan Prison cemetery that could be found were disinterred (between December 1945 - February 1946) and brought to 7747 USAF Cemetery, Manila #2, Philippine Islands. The deceased in Manila #2 (over 11,000 American soldiers) rested there until their removal to the American Graves Registration Service Manila Mausoleum in the summer of 1948 for positive identification. Unfortunately, no clothing, personal effects nor any other means of identification were found for him and his remains could not be associated with any remains recovered from Cabanatuan. He most likely is buried in the Manila American Cemetery as a "Known but to God". There are 953 men like Corporal Morris who were not identified after the war, "unknowns", permanently interred in the Manila American Cemetery from Cabanatuan.
Corporal Marvin Douglas Morris is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing - United States Marine Corps at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.
Service # 279934
Rank: Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps
Unit: Company M, Third Battalion, Fourth Marines
Entered Service From: Texas
Date of Death: *27 July 1942, of dysentery and malaria in the Japanese POW Camp 1, Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija Province, Luzon, Philippines 15-121.
Status: Missing In Action. Most likely buried as a 'Unknown" in the Manila American Cemetery.
Memorialized: Tablets of the Missing – United States Army and Army Air Forces at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.
*ABMC says he died 31 October 1942 but Marine and POW's records say he died 27 July 1942.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1920 United States Federal Census (29 January 1920): Lathram Township, Caddo County, Oklahoma (sheet 3A, family 46) – Marvin D. Morris (1 5/12 Oklahoma).
1930 United States Federal Census (16 April 1930): North Lathram Township, Caddo County, Oklahoma (sheet 7B, family 161) – Marvin Morris (11 Oklahoma).
The family moved to Hamlin, Texas where Marvin attended Hamlin High School.
Marvin D. Morris enlisted as a Private (S/N 279934) in the United States Marine Corps on 04 January 1940 at Dallas, Texas.
"Marvin D. Morris, son of B. D. Morris, has been accepted for enlistment in the United States Marine Corps, along with five other West Texas youths, transferred to the Marine Corps Base, San Diego, California, for training. Young Morris was among the first to be accepted for enlistment in the in the U.S. Marine Corps Recruiting Station in Abilene..." Source: The Hamlin Herald (Hamlin, Texas), Friday, 12 January 1940, page 1.
U.S. Marine Corps Muster Rolls – 06 January 1940 to 10 February 1940
Recruit Depot Detachment, Recruit Depot, Base Troops, MCB, San Diego, California
Private Marvin D. Morris (S/N 279934). He enlisted 04 January 1940 and was transferred to San Diego from Dallas, Texas on 06 January 1940 from SRG, Dallas, Texas. On 10 February 1940 he was transferred to MBNY, Mare Island, California.
U.S. Marine Corps Muster Rolls – 10 February 1940 to 11 February 1940
USS SAVANNAH
Private Marvin D. Morris (S/N 279934). On 10 February 1940, he embarked aboard the light cruiser U.S.S. SAVANNAH (CL-42) and sailed from Long Beach, California and disembarked on 11 February 1940 at the Marine Detachment, Navy Yard, Mare Island, California.
U.S. Marine Corps Muster Rolls – 11 February 1940 to 22 March 1940
Casual Company, Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Mare Island, California.
Private Marvin D. Morris (S/N 279934). On 22 March 1940 he was transferred to am Asiatic Station for general assignment via the U.S.S. HENDERSON. They embarked on the 22nd and sailed on 23 March 1940.
U.S. Marine Corps Muster Rolls for April 1940 are missing. He did arrived in the Philippine Islands in
April 1940 and was stationed at the Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Cavite.
U.S. Marine Corps Muster Rolls – 01 May 1940 to 30 April 1941
Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Cavite, Philippine Islands
Private Marvin D. Morris (S/N 279934). He was sick in the USNH, Canacao, P.I. from 14-22 May 1940. Private Morris was temporarily detailed from 10-16 October at Olongapo, P.I. in connection with Gunnery Training and Target Practice. He was temporarily detailed on Corregidor "in connection with patrol" from 05 December - 08 January 1941.
Sometime between May and June he was transferred to Company "C", First Separate Marine Battalion, same post.
.
U.S. Marine Corps Muster Rolls – June 1941 to 26 December 1941
Company "C", First Separate Marine Battalion, MBNY, Cavite, Philippine Islands
Private/Private First Class Marvin D. Morris (S/N 279934). He had been promoted to Private First Class by October 1941.
War broke out on 08 December 1941 and on 10 December, Cavite was bombed. Private First Class Thomas L. Wetherington was killed by bomb fragments, becoming the first Marine to lose his life in defense of the Philippines. Japanese forces began a full-scale invasion of Luzon on 22 December. In response, General Douglas MacArthur, ordered the withdrawal of the American and Filipino forces to the Bataan peninsula to be a part of the Bataan Defense Force. On 26 December the First Separate Marine Battalion were moved to Mariveles, Bataan. "As night fell on 26 December all personnel, equipment, and supplies were in place in the jungle near Mariveles." Over the next couple of days they were moved to Fort Mills, Corregidor Island. On 01 January 1942 the First Separate Marine Battalion was redesignated as 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines. PFC Morris was assigned to Company M, Third Battalion, Fourth Marines as part of the beach defenses in the middle sector on the northeast beaches of the tail of the island (1st Battalion took the east sector, from Malinta Hill to Hooker Point. The 2nd Battalion moved to the west sector). Work began immediately on construction of beach defenses.
U.S. Marine Corps Muster Rolls 01 January 1942 – 06 May 1942
Company M, Third Battalion, Fourth Marines, Corregidor, P. I.
Private First Class/Corporal Marvin D. Morris (S/N 279934). He was promoted to Corporal on 02 April 1942.
On 09 April 1942, Filipino and U.S. forces on Bataan were surrendered and the Japanese were able to mass artillery for an all-out attack of the Rock from just 2 miles away.
"It took no mental giant," wrote Wainwright, "to figure out, that the enemy was ready to come against Corregidor." On the night of 05 May 1942, Japanese forces landed on the island and overwhelmed the garrison, which surrendered at 1200 hours the following day.
Corporal Marvin D. Morris became a prisoner of war. He was taken to the Japanese Cabanatuan POW Camp #1, Nueva Province, Central Luzon, Philippines. Most of the POWs were assigned to work details and farm labor. He was the life of the prison camp according to his friends.
Not long after his imprisonment, Corporal Morris fell ill with a deadly combination of dysentery and malaria. When his condition worsened, he was moved from his regular barracks to a the hospital building termed "Ward Zero" – where the terminally ill awaited their death. Marvin, age 23, succumbed to his illnesses at 3:00 pm on 27 July 1942. He died while sleeping. His death was recorded on a condensed milk can label. He was one of 20 men to die that day, the 1227th prisoner to die since the camp opened just two months before. In all 786 men died in Cabanatuan during the month of July, 1942. By the time the camp was liberated in early 1945, 2,764 Americans had died at Cabanatuan in 2½ years. He was buried in a communal grave in the camp cemetery along with other deceased American POWs who died that day.
Corporal Marvin D. Morris was carried on Marine Records as "Missing in Action" through October 1945 when word of his death reached the War Department. He never was on any prisoner of war list.
After the war, all the remains in the Cabanatuan Prison cemetery that could be found were disinterred (between December 1945 - February 1946) and brought to 7747 USAF Cemetery, Manila #2, Philippine Islands. The deceased in Manila #2 (over 11,000 American soldiers) rested there until their removal to the American Graves Registration Service Manila Mausoleum in the summer of 1948 for positive identification. Unfortunately, no clothing, personal effects nor any other means of identification were found for him and his remains could not be associated with any remains recovered from Cabanatuan. He most likely is buried in the Manila American Cemetery as a "Known but to God". There are 953 men like Corporal Morris who were not identified after the war, "unknowns", permanently interred in the Manila American Cemetery from Cabanatuan.
Corporal Marvin Douglas Morris is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing - United States Marine Corps at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.
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Entered the service from Texas.
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