Gen. John Morrison Passes Away

   
    Major General John E. Morrison, Jr., (ret), 94, a 40-year resident of Davidsonville, died January 11 at his home.
    He was born on April 20, 1918 in Baltimore and graduated from the University of Baltimore in 1939 with a Juris Doctor degree.He also graduated from the Air Command and Staff College in 1949 and from the Air War College in 1959. In 1942, John was commis- sioned in the Army Signal Corps and was assigned to the Signal Intelligence Service, Army Air Forces in Washington, DC.He served in the Pacific theater during World War II, participating in the invasions of Munda, Bougainville, Green, Emirau and Luzon Islands.In 1947, John transferred to the U.S. Air Force.In 1949, he was detailed to the Air Command and Staff School as a student.Upon graduation, he was retained as a member of the faculty until he assumed command of the 6981stRadio Group Mobile in Alaska in 1953.In 1956, John transferred to Air Force Headquarters in Washington, DC where he later became Chief of the Policy and Objectives Division in the Telecommunications Directorate.In this role, he was a direct counsel to President Kennedy during the 1961 Bay of Pigs Invasion.In 1963, he was designated Chief of the National Security Agency's Pacific Command and later became Assistant Director for Production, a position he held until his retirement from the Air Force in 1973.John continued working at the NSA until his retirement from government service in 1979. John's military awards included the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Force Commendation medal and the Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, American Defense Service Medal, Asiatic/Pacific Campaign Medal, American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Air force Longevity Service Award and the Philippine Liberation Award,He also received the Order of Service Merit, Third Class, from the president of the Republic of Korea in 1966.In 1979, John received the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal and was inducted into the NSA Hall of Honor in 2001.
    John was a member of the Board of Directors of the National Historical Intelligence Museum; founder, president and chairman of the National Cryptologic Museum Foundation Board; and a member of the Joint Military Intelligence College Foundation Board. He was a Scottish Rite Freemason for over 60 years.
    He enjoyed gardening, traveling and Civil War history and crabbing.John was known as "The Singing General". He enjoyed entertaining family, friends, colleagues and even strangers.One of John's past times was entering a restaurant singing "If I Loved You" in his Irish Tenor voice. During the last several years of his life, John enjoyed spending time with his family and friends.
    John is survived by his children, Patricia A. Zasadil of Springhill, FL and Karen M. Sutton of Crofton and John E. Morrison III of Evergreen, CO; his former wife, Flora H. Morrison; six grandchildren, Kimberly A., Laura L. and John M. Zasadil, Kristine E. Ford, Tammy M. Taylor, Jason P. Sutton;and 14 great-grandchildren.
    Friends are invited to John's Life Celebration from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m., Thursday, January 17 and from 10 a.m. until his funeral service begins at 11 a.m., Friday, January 18 at the Riva Trace Baptist Church, 475 W. Central Avenue, Davidsonville. Interment Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made toNationalCryptologic Museum Foundation, Inc, P.O. Box 1682, Ft. George G. Meade, MD 20755-9998. An online guestbook is available at www.kalasfuneralhomes.com.