Born January 7, 1919, in
Rome, Georgia, Morrison was the son of Caroline (
née Hoover; 1891–1984) and Paul Raymund Morrison (1886–1971), and raised in
Leesburg, Florida. The Morrison family descended from Scottish settlers who emigrated to America in the late 18th century. Morrison used to claim that his family was originally from the
Outer Hebrides, and claimed direct descent from
Robert the Bruce. The family had also Irish ancestry, with roots tracing back to
County Cork. Morrison entered the
U.S. Naval Academy in 1938, graduated in 1941, and was commissioned an ensign. Sent to
Hawaii, he joined the crew of the
destroyer . On December 7, 1941, Morrison witnessed the Japanese
attack on Pearl Harbor. ==Career==