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<em>Blackshear Morrison Bryan, Jr<strong>.</strong></em> was one of the tall, young men entering West Point in July of 1950 to begin his journey toward a military career. The 28 “flankers” in Com­pany A-1 developed a spirit of camaraderie, loyalty, and friendship upon which they built their dedication to God and Country.</p>
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“Babe,” as he was known by his classmates, was born at the West Point Hospital. His fa­ther, a member of the Class of 1922, was as­signed to USMA at the time to help coach the Army football team. Thirty-three years later, in 1955, his dad was Superintendent of the Academy. During his father’s tenure as Su­perintendent, 2LT Morrie Bryan married his sweetheart Catherine at the Cadet Chapel. (Catherine preferred the nickname “Morrie” to “Babe.”)</p>
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Influenced by Air Force orientations, Morrie sought an Air Force commission. After flight school, he qualified as an F-86D pilot and then joined the 323rd Fighter Inter­ceptor Squadron at Truax AFB, WI, where his family began to grow. Morrie was a very devoted and loving husband and father. He was soon transferred to Japan, where the members of his young family experienced one of the happiest periods of their lives. He taught conversational English to their neighbors and Japanese to his family. Their son Morrison went to Japanese school, while his younger sister Claudia stayed home with Mom, enjoying their Japanese community. Morrie was then assigned to Germany, and while living there, the family took countless excursions to explore sights Dad had spotted from the cockpit.</p>
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In 1963, as a captain, Morrie made an unusual but not unique request for a transfer to the Army. Assigned to the Transportation Corps, he completed flight transition and was ordered to the Army Transportation Research and Engineering Com­mand at Ft. Eustis, VA, where his daughter Cath­erine Anne was born. In 1967, as he was rounding out a tour in Viet Nam, he was killed in a crash during a U-21A training mission while avoiding trespassers on the run­way. MAJ Bryan was cited for heroism twice during his tour.</p>
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Morrie’s family—his widow and children, father and mother, brothers and sister—were all comforted with the knowledge that his dedicated service and sacrifice brought great credit to him and his country. They shared their grief for this man who was a quiet hero, husband, father, son, and sibling.</p>
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When called, Morrie willingly joined the Long Gray Line, paying the ultimate price for “Duty, Honor, Country.” He is buried at the West Point Cemetery beside his father and his younger brother, Jamie, who, after two valorous tours in Viet Nam, died in a military aircraft accident in 1977. Morrie is survived by his widow Catherine, their three children—B. Morrison Bryan III, Claudia C. Bryan, Catherine Anne Bryan Brown—and six grandchildren.</p>
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