John Morgan Rex

John Morgan Rex, Brother and Soldier, born 28 Dec 1920, Randolph, Utah, died 3 Mar 1942, South Pacific Ocean. Memorial service, Randolph, Utah, 26 September 1943. Memorial Markers, Randolph Utah Cemetery. Meditation Chapel, Memory Grove, Salt Lake City, Utah. Allied War Memorial, Broome, Australia.

John Morgan Rex was named for his mother’s father, John Hamilton Morgan. He was a cute “little boy” and the school teachers who lived with us called him “Buddy” and took many pictures of him. As he grew older he made up names for three imaginary friends “Once, Gunk, and John.” He could be heard talking to them as if they were real friends.

He loved to build and would make fences from small pieces of wood and build corrals, and fence in fields; some for grain and some for hay. He built sleighs and made one strong enough to hold a 10 gallon can full of milk and could take it from the barn out to the road in front of the house, where the milk man would pick it up to take to the creamery. Morgan was more inclined to study than either of his brothers and did very well in school. Mother died the fall of his senior year. He never said much, but I’m sure he missed her a great deal.

He went with Harold one quarter at the University of Utah, then joined the Air Force so he could learn all about airplanes, because that was his love, and he wanted to become a pilot. He had built many model airplanes. One had a 6-foot wing span, and a motor so it flew. He would get partly used cans of ether from Dr. Patton for fuel for his plane. After he enlisted in the Air Force he took advantage of opportunities for advancement and in a little over one year was a Master Sergeant and a crew chief on a fighter plane.

In November of 1941 he was stationed at Hamilton Field in Marin County, California. For the Thanksgiving holiday, Father, Aunt Mary, Maeser and Flora went to California to spend it with Morgan, Helen and Glenn. Morgan was to be shipped overseas soon thereafter. He had left San Francisco on the ship “President Johnson” when Pearl Harbor was bombed and war declared. They returned to Hamilton Field and left again a few weeks later, headed for the South Pacific.

The latter part of March 1942, a telegram was received reporting Morgan missing in action. Officially, some time later, the War Department issued the following report: “Your son was one of twenty occupants aboard a B-24 which took off from the airfield near Broome, Australia, on 3 March, 1942. Soon after leaving the airfield, the plane was attacked by three Zeros, setting the fuel tanks on fire and forcing the plane to crash land in the ocean about twelve or fifteen miles from the coast. The aircraft remained afloat only about two minutes. An extensive search of the area failed to uncover any trace of your son. It is concluded that he was killed in action when his plane crash-landed in the ocean.”

Morgan was the first casualty from Rich County in World War II. He was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously. There were many others who went into the military service at this crucial time and many who gave their lives that we might enjoy the freedoms we have. Memorial services were held in Randolph, Utah on 26 September 1943.

Hubert Hellstrom: As a tribute to my cousin and classmate I wish to pay my respect and say a few words about his ability to accomplish things and his splendid personality. He was one of the finest fellows to be with. I am sure all of his classmates and acquaintances will say the same and will speak highly of him always. He had a great ability of accomplishing things he set out to do. An airplane was his hobby and he built many models very accurately. Now Morgan has completed his work upon this earth. He has given his life for his country so that his friends and loves ones could have peace and freedom. I hope the Lord will be with his father, brothers and sisters, and help them in every way, is my thought and prayer.

History, Descendents, and Ancestry of William Rex and Mary Elizabeth Brough of Randolph, Utah, compiled and edited by Ronald Dee Rex, page 277.

Hellstrom remarks from tributes written at the request of teacher, Mr. Ken Muir, compiled by Kathleen Rex Thornock.

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History of John Morgan Rex:

John Morgan Rex was born in Randolph, Utah, December 18, 1920, to Percy H. and Bessie Morgan Rex. He attended the public schools in Randolph, and was graduated from the South Rich High school in May 1939. He attended the university of Utah two terms. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps as a mechanic on January 15, 1940 at Ft. Douglas, Utah. He graduated from two airplane schools in Illinois, Scott’s Field and Rantoul. He was one of the first young men from Rich County to join the armed forces, and he is the first Rich county man reported missing in action.

He was a Corp. AM 2nd class, 70th Pur Sq. (Int) GHQAF. John Morgan Rex 6581412. He was later advanced to Sergeant and then to Staff Sergeant, 70th Pur Squadron at Hamilton Field, California. Served these until early in December,1941.

He was being transferred over seas and had been on the ocean five days when the Japanese struck Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. His ship returned to San Francisco for a few days. The next word we had from him was Auckland, New Zealand, December 18, his 21st birthday, where our last letter was post marked. He was later seen in Australia by Bob McKinnon and Fay Kennedy. Then he went to Java. The government states he was evacuated out of Java to Broom, Australia, March 2n, 1942. On March 3rd some 20 occupants aboard a B-24 took off from the airfield at Broom. The plane was attacked by three Japanese Zeros, setting the fuel tanks on fire and forced the plane to crash in the ocean, about 12 or 15 miles from the coast of Australia. The aircraft remained afloat only about two minutes and sank. One survivor eventually made his way to the beach after swimming for 31 hours. Seven others were killed in the attack. An extensive search of the area failed to uncover any trace of the occupants or plane. It is concluded that he was killed in action when his plane crash-landed in the ocean March 3rd, 1942.

The Purple Heart was sent to his father, which he still holds sacred. He was an active member of the LDS church, having held positions in the lesser priesthood. He is survived by his father and two brothers, Harold M. Rex, Maeser M. Rex, three sisters, Helen Fazier, Winnie Andrus and Flora Lamborn. Memorial services were held in his honor at Randolph, Utah. ________________________

In 1998 at the Percy Harold Rex family reunion John Morgan's sister, Flora Rex Lamborn, reported on what she'd learned of her brother's death. She had been contacted by Mr. Arvon Stats of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma concerning the circumstances surrounding John Morgan Rex's death. Mr. Stats is a descendant of one of the other soldiers who lost his life at Broome, Australia. The lone survivor was Melvin O. Donoho. Mr. Arvon Stats and Mr. and Mrs. Bob Waterhouse of Broome, Australia sent her information and newspaper clippings. She received a booklet called Broome's One Day War; The story of the Japanese Raid on Broome, 3rd March 1942, by Mervyn W. Prime. And they shared information about the April 25, 2000 dedication of a new war memorial in Australia where John Morgan Rex is listed among the allied troops who lost their lives at Broome.

The Americans, Australians and Dutch were evacuating from the island of Java. Broome, Australia was one of the nearest airfields but the air strip was prepared to handle about one flight a month which brought supplies to the town which consisted of one grocery store, one gas station and a few homes, most of them at this time had been boarded up and the occupants had left to find a more secure place.

Broome was certainly the kind of target that the Japanese could be trusted not to overlook indefinitely. A growing tension became manifest on the base. The men worked hard to get incoming planes refueled and out, but it was not always easy to keep them moving. Most of the crews and passengers on evacuation planes, no matter how tightly keyed by the circumstances of their own escape, suffered a letdown as soon as they landed at Broome. Australia was sanctuary. It was hard to persuade them of the need of moving on immediately.

That night of March 2 was an uneasy one for the men running the base. They were sweating out a B-24 that had gone back to Jogjakarta, Indonesia, to bring out any men who might have been left behind. It returned at dawn; but long before it was due, about 2:00 a.m., an unidentified plane appeared over the town, flying very low. It was unquestionably Japanese.

Though all planes were warned to clear Broom before 10:00 that morning, there were still six planes loading at the airfield and 15 flying boats in the bay when, almost to the minute, the Japanese struck. They used only nine Zeros; but 50 could hardly have been more effective, so defenseless was the town. There was no warning of their approach. Two flying boats had just come in from Java. Small boats with passengers for Fremantle were clustered around the other 13. A B-24 that had just taken off was swinging out over the bay.

This B-24 was one of the three Ferry Command planes of its type that had reached the Southwest Pacific. All three had been working overtime in evacuating refugees from Java and then in flying them on to the south. Of the other two, one was at Broome, waiting to take off; the other, had reached Melbourne. The one in the air was the same plane that had flown up to Jogjakarta. I t had been serviced immediately after landing. Loaded with men and had barely climbed to 600 feet when three of the Zeros went after it.

None of the B-24s had self-sealing tanks. Almost at the first pass, the ship puffed into flame, dived sharply, and crashed in the bay. The impact broke it into two pieces, and two of the 17th Squadron men, Sergeants Melvin O. Donoho and William A. Beatty, were thrown clear. They could not see the shore, but a tower of smoke against the sky served as a landmark. They headed in its direction, not knowing what had caused it.

Meanwhile the six remaining Zeros were quickly rejoined by the three that had shot down the B-24, and all nine made one leisurely pass after another till every plane in Broome had been destroyed. There only opposition came from the side arms of a few frustrated men on the airfield and a single .30-caliber machine gun which a Dutch pilot had taken from his burning ship and fired from a slit trench, holding the gun in his hands till his palms were nearly burned through.

The two sergeants were still alive, however. Keeping together, they swam steadily all through the afternoon. Towards evening they were close inshore; but then the tide, which falls 29 feet at Broome, caught them and carried them to sea. They swam all night, with Beatty, who had begun to weaken badly, between Donoho’s legs. Beatty kept urging Donoho to strike out for himself, but the latter refused. By next morning they had once more painfully drawn in toward ashore. Near noon they saw a lighthouse. They were then within 200 yards of land. And now, no longer able to make headway while towing the other, Donoho at last agreed to leave Beatty and go ahead for help. But the tide had again set against him. For a while he was ready to quit. It was more reflex than any purpose that kept him going, and finally, after the tide had swept him five miles down the coast, he made shore—33 hours after the breaking plane had dumped him in the sea. He could not see Beatty, so he rested awhile before setting out for the light house. He found it deserted and stumbled on along the shore. Toward sunset, hours after he had crawled up on land, he made the airfield, stark naked, sunburned, and exhausted.

Next day they found Beatty, who had somehow managed to pull himself ashore. He was delirious and nearly gone. They rushed him to Perth on the next plane leaving; but, though he was still alive when he reached the hospital, he never regained consciousness.