Ray Morton
Ray Morton was appointed to and attended the United States Air Force Academy before transferring to the U.S. Army where he qualified as a Special Forces Green Beret.
Serving first as a medic and later on an A-Team, Ray was eventually assigned to intelligence work throughout Europe. Possessing an extraordinary gift for languages, he became native fluent in 17 European languages, including Russian, allowing him to work throughout Europe and inside the Soviet Union.
Special Forces Service
During one mission, Ray's team was compromised while attempting to cross back over the border. Russian troops caught up with the extraction team, and Ray was shot in the knee. Despite being wounded, the adrenaline of the firefight kept him moving, allowing him to carry another wounded soldier back to the extraction point.
Engineering & National Defense
After leaving military service, Ray became an Ocean Engineer, working around the world repairing naval vessels, designing subsea vehicles, and engineering offshore oil platforms for Chevron.
Later, Ray worked for military contractors and NASA on advanced missile technologies before serving as the Army's Principal Systems Engineer for President Ronald Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative, commonly known as the "Star Wars" program.
Unsung Hero Award
Ray Morton received the We Can Be Heroes Foundation Unsung Hero Award during Jacksonville's Constitution Week Celebration on September 13, 2025, honoring veterans who pledged to defend the Constitution of the United States.
