RIP CSM Pete Morakon - Distinguished Member of the Regiment

Command Sergeant Major Peter (Pete) Morakon was born Oct. 15, 1931, in Wilkes Barre, Pa. He entered the Army in June 1949 and attended jump school at Fort Benning, Ga., in September of that year. CSM Morakon remained assigned to the jump school as cadre, obtaining the rank of corporal before his departure for the war in Korea in April 1951.

In Korea, he was assigned to the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team as an infantry squad leader and attained the rank of staff sergeant. Upon his return from Korea in September 1952, he was honorably discharged from the service and worked in his hometown for a year before returning to the Army in October 1953.

In March 1954, CSM Morakon was assigned to the 504th Airborne Infantry Regiment at Fort Bragg as a reconnaissance squad leader and attained the rank of sergeant. In October 1955, he returned to Korea and was assigned to the 32nd Infantry Regiment as an infantry platoon sergeant. Upon his return from Korea, he was assigned to numerous airborne units, including the 504th Airborne Infantry Regiment, the 503rd Airborne Infantry Battle Group and the 501st Airborne Infantry Battle Group, in which he attained the rank of sergeant first class.

In March 1963, CSM Morakon attended the Special Forces Operations and Intelligence Course before being assigned to the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne). He went to Vietnam in March 1964 as a Special Forces detachment intelligence sergeant and returned as a team sergeant with Company C, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne).

He was promoted to master sergeant in September 1965 and was subsequently assigned to 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) as a HALO team sergeant. In April 1968, he returned to the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) in Vietnam for a third combat tour.

In March 1970, he was promoted to sergeant major and served as company sergeant major with the 6th and 5th Special Forces Groups (airborne). In 1975, he was appointed to command sergeant major and assigned to the 71st Air Defense Artillery and later the 94th Air Defense Artillery Group in Germany.

CSM Morakon culminated his 30-year career in 1980 with the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) and retired as the command sergeant major of the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Center for Military Assistance.

In 1984, CSM Morakon began work as a civilian test officer at the U.S. Army Airborne Board. He has served for the past 24 years testing new personnel parachutes and certifying U.S., foreign and commercial aircraft for personnel airdrop and bundle delivery.

CSM Morakon’s awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star with “V” Device with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal with “V” Device with one OLC, Air Force Commendation Medal with one OLC, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with palm, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with silver star, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with bronze star, Combat Infantryman Badge (2nd award), Master Parachutist Badge, Military Free-Fall Jumpmaster Badge and the Achievement Medal for Civilian Service. CSM Morakon and his wife, Geraldine, have two daughters, Susan and Jamie, and two beloved grandsons, Mark and Peter Joseph. He was inducted as a Distinguished Member of the Special Forces Regiment on 13 July 2007.  CSM Morakon passed away on 3 June 2020.

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