As a way to thank our Veterans today on Veterans’ Day, I thought that it would be interesting to share the nomination which was recently submitted for one of our own, Walter T. Morey ’40 for the University of Illinois Army ROTC Hall of Fame. He had an exceptional career as a student, in the military and in civilian life and deserves to be recognized and remembered as do all of our many Gamma Zeta veterans. We’ll find out during the spring of 2016 if he’s selected for the Hall of Fame. Thanks to all of our veterans today!
—————————————————————
I’d like to nominate Major Walter T. Morey ’40 for the Army ROTC Hall of Fame. Here is some information about him:
Born: August 02, 1918
Died: March 18, 2009
Early life:
- 1936 Graduate of Stephen Decatur high school with honors
- Reached Eagle rank with two palms as a Boy Scout
- Served as Assistant Scoutmaster
College life:
- 1940 Graduate of the University of Illinois
- Appointed in 1939 as Student Colonel to lead the 4,000 students in the University ROTC Brigade by Col. Fred R. Brown Commandant with approval of A.C. Willard, President of the University
- Maintained an academic average in the College of Commerce of 3.92 and a military average of 5.0
- Winner of the University gold medal, as the most outstanding sophomore cadet
- Winner of the Connor’ cups for the best drilled freshman and sophomore in the field artillery in 1937 and 1938
- Won the Hazelton medal during his first year basic course as the best cadet of that rank
- Awarded an excellence bar with three stars for maintaining a military standing in the upper 4 percent of his class
- Member of three military fraternities—Caisson club, Scabbard and Blade and Pershing Rifles
- Member of Skull and Crescent, freshman activity honorary and Sachem, sophomore activity honorary, Ma-Wan-Da senior honorary society
- Business Manager of the Illio
- Active in Star Cross, Student Alumni Association, Accountancy Club and the YMCA
- Cabinet member of the Inter-fraternity council
- President of the Military Council
- Chairman of the Military Ball
- Treasurer and then President of the Student senate
- Member of the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity
- 1947 Graduate of Harvard Law School
Military:
- During WWII, served three years of active duty with the 36th Field Artillery in North Africa, Italy and France. Major Morey’s unit was the first to fire on the mainland of Europe in 1943
- At the outbreak of the Korean War, he served as a battalion commander in Korea until 1951
- Awarded the Bronze Star, Legion of Merit and three French Croix de Guerre
Post Military:
- Attorney in Decatur
- Founded and served as Chairman of the Board of Soy Capital Bank
- Founded Security Savings and Loan
- Partner in the development of Brettwood Village Shopping Center
- Elected to the Decatur City Council in 1960 and served for six years
- Trustee at Millikin University
- Member of the University of Illinois President’s Council
- President of the Decatur Bar Association, Rotary, United Way of Macon County and the American Red Cross in Decatur
- He served as an elder at First Presbyterian Church
More info:
Link to great Daily Illini article from when Walter Morey was selected to be Colonel of the student ROTC Corp at Illinois – 039-DIL-1939-04-23-001-SINGLE (2)