Morris Fessler was born in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin in 1913. After completing high school he began a career as an electric arc and gas welder. It wasn't until his family moved to California that Morris took an interest in flying. He learned to fly and, in 1939, joined the United Airlines Training Program. With the war activities going on in Europe, Fessler decided to volunteer for the RAF Volunteer Reserve in 1940. Within days, he found himself in London where he began a series of flight refresher courses and then became an instructor during 1941. He began to fly Spitfire missions with an Eagle Squadron. In October of 1941 Fessler was on a mission in which his plane was hit by exploding train debris forcing Fessler to crash land. He evaded the Germans, found shelter in a farm house, but then gave himself up to save the farm family. He was taken prisoner just weeks before the United States entered the war, and spent the remainder of the war in Stalag Luft III. Upon his release in April of 1945, Fessler was still a flight lieutenant in the RAF. He returned to the United States and sought employment once again with United Airlines. They required he complete further flight training, which he did in England, and then in September of 1946 he resigned from the RAF. He returned to the United States and began flying for United, where he worked until the 1970s. Morris Fessler retired to California and died in 1992.
From the description of Morris W. Fessler collection, 1940-1957. (US Air Force Academy). WorldCat record id: 760089826
