Morris M. Chriswell
Pvt. Morris M. Chriswell in Italy. Note the theater made parachutist badge and oval on the M41 jacket.
NAME: Morris M. Chriswell
ASN: 35694191
PLACE OF BIRTH: New Albany, IN
DATE OF BIRTH: 13 Sep 1923
DATES OF SERVICE: 16 Jan 1943 - 18 Nov 1945
UNIT ASSIGNED: C CO 509th PIB
HHC 509th PIB
82nd Parachute Maintenance Company, 82nd Airborne Division
CAMPAIGNS: Naples-Foggia, Rome-Arno, Rhineland, Southern France, Central Europe, Ardennes
AWARDS: Parachutist Badge with combat jump star, Combat Infantryman Badge, Purple Heart Medal, European-African Middle-Eastern Campaign Medal with six Bronze Star Devices, Distinguish Unit Citation with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Good Conduct Medal, WWII Victory Medal, Four Overseas Service Stripes
SUMMARY OF SERVICE:
13 Sep 1923 - Born in New Albany, IN to John Chriswell and Itasca Swift
16 Jan 1943 - He was inducted January 16, 1943 in Louisville, Ky at the age of nineteen.
23 Jan 1943 - Entered Active Service, Louisville, KY
| ARMY SERIAL NUMBER | 35694191 | 35694191 |
| NAME | CHRISWELL#MORRIS#M###### | CHRISWELL#MORRIS#M###### |
| RESIDENCE: STATE | 51 | INDIANA |
| RESIDENCE: COUNTY | 043 | FLOYD |
| PLACE OF ENLISTMENT | 5260 | LOUISVILLE KENTUCKY |
| DATE OF ENLISTMENT DAY | 16 | 16 |
| DATE OF ENLISTMENT MONTH | 01 | 01 |
| DATE OF ENLISTMENT YEAR | 43 | 43 |
| GRADE: ALPHA DESIGNATION | PVT# | Private |
| GRADE: CODE | 8 | Private |
| BRANCH: ALPHA DESIGNATION | BI# | Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA |
| BRANCH: CODE | 00 | Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA |
| FIELD USE AS DESIRED | # | # |
| TERM OF ENLISTMENT | 5 | Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law |
| LONGEVITY | ### | ### |
| SOURCE OF ARMY PERSONNEL | 0 | Civil Life |
| NATIVITY | 52 | KENTUCKY |
| YEAR OF BIRTH | 23 | 23 |
| RACE AND CITIZENSHIP | 1 | White, citizen |
| EDUCATION | 4 | 4 years of high school |
| CIVILIAN OCCUPATION | 732 | Semiskilled construction occupations, n.e.c. |
| MARITAL STATUS | 6 | Single, without dependents |
| COMPONENT OF THE ARMY | 7 | Selectees (Enlisted Men) |
| CARD NUMBER | # | # |
| BOX NUMBER | 0978 | 0978 |
| FILM REEL NUMBER | 5.40# | 5.40# |
00 Jun 1943 - Assigned to N Company, 1st Prcht Tng Regt to attend parachute training.
00 Jul 1943 - Sprained his knee while jumping
03 Sep 1943 - Departed US for Europe - possibly departed as part of the 101st Airborne Division which left the states around the same time
25 Sep 1943 - Arrived Overseas - sometime after arriving overseas he either volunteered or was ordered to be transferred as a replacement to the 509th PIB and shipped to the Mediterranean. Likely went through the Infantry Replacement Training Center in North Africa.
11 Jan 1944 - Pvt. Morris M. Chriswell, Army Service Number: 35694191, C CO 509th PIB, Orders Dated: 11-Jan-44 Special Order# 4, Action: Transfered to HHC 509th PIB
22 Jan 1944 - Participated in the Amphibious Invasion of Anzio, Italy. Operation SHINGLE
27 May 1944 - Medical treatment near Naples, Italy
15 Aug 1944 - Participated in the liberation of Southern France, jumped in Operation ANVIL DRAGOON
21 Dec 1944 - Departed France for Belgium to counter the German Offensive in the Ardennes
20 Jan 1945 - Injured in the ear, shoulder and leg by tree debris from an exploding tree that got hit by a bomb. He was sent to the 77th Armored Medical Battalion and came back into battle after 2 days.
13 Mar 1945 - Arrived in US
15 Mar 1945 - Recieved Small Pox, Tetnus, Typhoid Vaccinations
16 Apr 1945 - Typus Vaccination
Served as Parachute Rigger Repairman
18 Nov 1945 - Pfc. Morris M. Chriswell, Honorably Discharged, Seperation Center, Camp Atterbury, IN Served 7 months 15 days in the US. Served 2 years 2 months 10 days Overseas.
1947 - Attended Purdue University
Left to Right: Unknown, Pvt. Morris M. Chriswell, Unknown probably taken shortly after graduation from the Parachute School at Fort Benning, GA
Left to Right: Unknown, Pvt. Chriswell, Unknown. While the Solders on either side are wearing the standard issue Ike Jacket, Pvt Chriswell is wearing a theater made jacket that appears to be a cut down modified version of the Service Coat.
Unit formation in Europe
Pvt. Chriswell in the Ardennes
Left to right and top to bottom: Two theater made (Italy) parachute cap patches, theater made (Italy) 509th Geronimo beret patch, Airborne Command patch (Fort Benning, GA), 5th Army patch (standard issue)
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