Soldier killed in Oglethorpe Bridge collision made the Army better

Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Morgan, the Fort Benning soldier who was hurled from his Jeep and killed after it was struck Tuesday on Highway 280, was remembered Wednesday as a caring soldier, father and grandfather .

Morgan, 50, was pronounced dead at 4:02 p.m. of blunt-force trauma to the chest at Midtown Medical Center in Columbus, more than five hours after the 10:30 a..m. accident, Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan said.

Morgan was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 47th Infantry Regiment which is part of the 194th Armored Brigade on post. Command Sgt. Maj. Lawrence Andrews, of 194th Armored Brigade, described Morgan as a person everyone wanted as a friend. He will be remembered as a man who truly cared about people and one who never met a stranger.

“He was a good friend and an amazingly capable leader who will be sorely missed,” Andrews said. “He truly cared about soldiers.”

Morgan played a key role in turning civilians into some of the best trained soldiers in the Army. He was always looking for ways to make the Army the best it could be, Andrews said.

Col. John Cushing, commander of 194th Armored Brigade, said Morgan epitomized excellence and his efforts made the battalion, brigade and the Army better.

“He strived for excellence every single day,” Cushing said. “He had an enthusiasm for life that was hard to capture … everyone wanted to be part of his team.”

Maj. Justin Malone, now serving with 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas, was company commander of 1st Battalion., 8th Infantry Regiment, when Morgan served as first sergeant during a yearlong deployment to Iraq.

“I loved him like a brother,” Malone said . “He was a senior NCO who got the job done while showing tough love. Not only did he set up a NCO Academy that trained hundreds of Iraqi soldiers, but his commitment to the mission and the soldiers of Delta Company was inspiring."

Morgan was described as a seasoned infantryman with a quiet, calming demeanor for training soldiers, said Command Sgt. Maj. Alan Hummel, Armor School command sergeant major. Morgan’s reputation was the reason why soldiers “considered him a father figure.”

In July 1983, Morgan enlisted in the Marine Corps where he served four years with the 2nd Marine Division. He later served 10 years with the Alabama National Guard before he joining the Army in 1998.

A native of Montgomery, Ala., he graduated from Troy University with a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in human resources. Some of his awards and decorations include the Bronze Star with V device, the Bronze Star Medal, Presidential Unit Citation and others.

A day after the crash, Columbus police released more details concerning the fatal Tuesday morning wreck on Highway 280 that sent a vehicle over the Oglethorpe Bridge on the Phenix City side of the Chattahoochee River.

Morgan was the only occupant in the Jeep at the time of the 10:30 a.m wreck. Police were on the scene eight minutes later to find Morgan’s green 1978 Jeep CJ7 suspended 50-60 feet below the Oglethorpe Bridge and held by trees above the Chattahoochee River. Thrown from the vehicle, Morgan fell onto the Phenix City side of the riverbank.

Rescue personnel cut the vehicle out of the trees just before noon, with it landing on a sandy area on the Alabama riverbank before being pulled on top of Oglethorpe Bridge and loaded onto a tow truck.

Police spoke with multiple witnesses who were driving along the Oglethorpe Bridge when the two-vehicles collided. A preliminary investigation indicated that Morgan was westbound on the bridge into Phenix City when he noticed a red pickup truck stalled directly ahead of him in the left lane. He switched to the right lane to avoid crashing into the vehicle.

Witnesses said there was an unidentified man next to the vehicle motioning drivers to slow down and avoid the truck. Justin Prohaska, 26, was traveling behind Morgan in a white 2014 Jeep Wrangler before Morgan switched lanes. He told police that he thought Morgan was “just moving over” until he noticed the unidentified man signaling him to “get over.”

Prohaska, who is also assigned at Fort Benning, said he slammed on his brakes and swerved to the right to change lanes and avoid crashing into the stalled truck. His vehicle struck the left rear end of the green Jeep, which caused the Jeep to careen over the bridge, according to police.

No citations were issued at the time the police report was made.

Monica Manganaro, the director of public affairs office, said the Fort Benning community sends their thoughts and prayers to Morgan’s friends and family.

“The Fort Benning family is mourning this tragic loss of a great American and a well-respected member of the community,” Manganaro said of the solider, who was married with five children. “Anytime the Army loses a soldier, we all mourn, and our first responsibility is to take care of the family.”

Morgan is survived by his wife, five children and four grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Friday in the Main Post Chapel.

This story was originally published March 30, 2016 at 12:09 PM with the headline "Soldier killed in Oglethorpe Bridge collision made the Army better."