The Man Behind The Chapter’s Name
By Rego Barnett
November/December issue of “The Graybeards” magazine
Many KWVA chapters are named after famous battles or well-known heroes in the Korean War. Ch 323, PO2 Taylor Morris, based in Cedar Rapids, IA, is an exception. It is named after a U.S. Navy veteran who is a rare surviving quadruple amputee. Morris is the grandson of chapter member Sid Morris.
Morris, an Explosive Ordinance Tech, was injured in Afghanistan in 2012 when he stepped on an IED. As a result, he lost both legs, his right hand, and most of his left arm. What he did not lose was his spirit — or his girlfriend, Danielle Kelly.
The young man underwent a long recuperation period, with Danielle by his side. They danced at a wedding in Iowa only five months after he was wounded. The wedding marked the first time Taylor had been home since his injuries occurred.
Recently he came back to Cedar Rapids to visit at the Iowa Gold Star Military Museum at Fort Dodge in Johnston, IA on September 13th, 2014. Was Danielle with him? You guessed it! She was there — along with a large group of his relatives, friends, and chapter members.
No wonder we have a KWVA chapter named after an Afghanistan War Veteran.
