Thomas “Morrow” Bradford was born on October 20, 1921, one of 8 children, to William Rufus Bradford and Annie Culp Bradford. His father, William Bradford, founded the Fort Mill Times Newspaper, which was later purchased by Morrow’s brother, William Bradford, Jr., in 1943, the year before Morrow’s death. Morrow worked alongside his father at the Fort Mill Times before enlisting in the United States Army in March of 1943 and entering WWII. He graduated from Fort Mill High School in 1938 and was an active member of Unity Presbyterian Church. According to a living relative, he had an affable personality and enjoyed life to the fullest.

Sergeant Morrow was stationed in Wendling, England and flew an estimated 12 missions with the 392nd Bomb Group from August 1944 until his death in December 1944.

He was first injured on December 2nd, 1944 during a mission over Germany. “While serving as waist gunner of a B-24 aircraft…Sergeant Bradford was painfully wounded in both feet when his aircraft was attacked and damaged by aggressive enemy fighters. Although thrown off balance, Sergeant Bradford quickly recovered and, despite his painful injuries, succeeded in manning his own gun position in addition to the post of a wounded crew member. During subsequent enemy fighter threats, Sergeant Bradford, with utter disregard for his personal injuries, ably defended his aircraft.” This incredible act of bravery posthumously earned Morrow the Distinguished Flying Cross for extraordinary achievement and heroism, which was presented to his mother in a brief ceremony at their home on Tom Hall street. Prior to this ultimate distinction, Sergeant Morrow had been awarded the Air Medal (September 18, 1944) and Purple Heart Medal and cluster to which another cluster was added for his final act of heroism.

Sergeant Morrow returned to duty on December 25th, 1944, after recovering from his injuries received on December 2nd. On December 29th, 1944, his squadron, the 577th BS 392nd Bomb Group, was called upon to “strike against a tactical railroad target,” the Hermann-Göring bridge in Neuwied, Germany. This was a dangerous mission that required entering enemy territory, where an increasingly desperate German army was determined to defend the Fatherland at any cost. The bridge was a strategic target to disrupt enemy communications and supply lines, critical in the progress toward victory in Europe. At 0800 hours a total of 27 bombers took off from their station at Wendling, England towards their target. While the mission was successful, “flak damage … took a grim toll, causing damage to 11 bombers and the loss of 2 others.” Sergeant Morrow’s bomber, number 861 (Call Letter S+), commanded by 1st Lieutenant Walker, suffered flak damage “near St. Vith above the Ardennes, where the Battle of the Bulge was taking place.” First Lieutenant Walker, realizing that a crash was imminent, ordered the crew to bail out. Sergeant Morrow was one of two soldiers whose parachutes failed to open and he lost his life in Vollezele near the farm “Ten Berg.”

Sergeant Bradford was given a military funeral and buried in an American military cemetery in Belgium on December 31st, 1944. His remains were reinterred in Fort Mill just over 4 years later in March 1949. Thomas “Morrow” Bradford is now peacefully laid to rest in Unity Cemetery on Morrow Bradford Drive, in a distinguished spot beneath a magnificent cedar tree. In one of his final letters home, Morrow reflected on a life beyond this one: “Looking at the deep side – if anything should happen – what is this short span compared to the eternity ahead. And I am confident in my belief about where I’ll spend the hereafter.”