David Morgan | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1947-12-29)29 December 1947 (age 77) |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Navy Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1966–1992 |
| Rank | Lieutenant Commander |
| Unit | 899 Naval Air Squadron |
| Battles / wars | |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Cross |
David Henry Spencer MorganDSC is a former BritishRoyal Navy andRoyal Air Force (RAF) pilot. He flew on attachment to the Royal Navy'sFleet Air Arm during the 1982Falklands War, where he was the most successful British fighter pilot of the conflict and was involved in the lastdogfight in which British pilots destroyed enemy aircraft.
Morgan was born on 29 December 1947 inFolkestone, Kent, his father was a World War II naval fighter pilot.[1][2] He was educated atSir Roger Manwood's School inSandwich, Kent, and at the age of 16 he applied for a scholarship to join the Navy where it was discovered that he had a hole in the heart (atrial septal defect), this was successfully operated on.[3] He attended theBritannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth as an aviator and was commissioned in 1967 going on to be the first British serviceman to become a pilot after having had open heart surgery.[2]
Morgan joined the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy in 1966 but was initially restricted to flying helicopters due to his previous heart operation. He later transferred to theRAF seeking to fly jets.[3] He served as a Wessex helicopter pilot, notably with72 Squadron in Northern Ireland duringthe Troubles.[4] He later converted toHarrier jump jets, serving inWest Germany.[5] After accumulating nearly 1,000 flying hours, Morgan was attached to899 Naval Air Squadron of the Fleet Air Arm, for conversion toSea Harriers when the Falklands War began. Subsequently, he was attached as a Flight Lieutenant to800 Naval Air Squadron aboard the aircraft carrierHMS Hermes, part of the task force sent to reclaim the islands following the Argentine invasion.[6]
Morgan’s first combat mission of the war took place on 1 May 1982, when he participated in the bombing ofPort Stanley airport as one of nineSea Harriers. Morgan’s aircraft carried threeBL755cluster bombs, designed to maximise damage to the runway and any parked aircraft. During the attack, his aircraft was hit in the tail fin by a20 mm anti-aircraft round, forcing him to return toHermes with reduced control.[7][8]
On 9 May 1982, Morgan, along with Lt Cdr Batt, carried out astrafing attack on the Argentine trawlerNarwal, which was conducting intelligence-gathering operations.Narwal was badly damaged, with one crewman killed, and left dead in the water. Aboarding party of BritishSBS reached the vessel via aSea King of846 NAS, capturing the ship and evacuating the crew, along with the body of theboatswain, Omar Rupp.Narwal was taken in tow but sank the following day.[9]
On 23 May, flying with hiswingman,Flt Lt John Leeming, in the vicinity ofShag Cove, West Falkland, Morgan engaged anAgusta Westland A109 and twoAérospatiale Puma helicopters. The lead Puma crashed after a low pass by Morgan, which some sources attribute to the Harrier’swingtip vortices disrupting airflow through the rotor disc.[10][11] The A109 was destroyed in strafing attacks by Morgan and Leeming. Morgan also damaged the second Puma, which was later destroyed by Lt Cdrs Gedge and Braithwaite of809 NAS.[12]
On 8 June, during what was intended to be a training flight, Morgan was approachingBluff Cove, where the British landing shipsSir Galahad andSir Tristram were on fire following an air attack by ArgentinianDouglas A-4 Skyhawks.[5] Morgan and his wingman, Lieutenant David Smith (RN), maintained aprotective air patrol when they observed Foxtrot 4, aLanding Craft Utility (LCU) fromHMS Fearless, under attack by four A-4Q Skyhawks of theArgentine Navy.[13]
Morgan, who only had fuel for two minutes of combat, proceeded to engage. He fired anAIM‑9L Sidewinder missile at the first Skyhawk, flown byDanilo Bolzán, destroying the aircraft and killing the pilot.[12] A second Skyhawk, flown byAlfredo Vázquez, was struck by Morgan’s second Sidewinder and destroyed. Vázquez was also killed, although he appeared toeject.[14][15]
A third aircraft, flown byJuan Arrarás, was shot down by Smith.[16][17] The surviving Argentinian pilot,Héctor Sánchez, managed to line up Morgan’s Harrier in his gunsight, but his cannons jammed.
Although Morgan was no longer at risk of being shot down, his Harrier was critically low on fuel.[5][18][19] During part of the return flight toHermes, Morgan glided to conserve fuel. Upon landing, it was determined that he only had enough fuel for 90 seconds of flight.[5]
The engagement between Morgan and Smith and the Argentine Skyhawks was, as of July 2025, the final air-to-air combat in which enemy aircraft were destroyed by British pilots.[14] Morgan’s tally of confirmed kills made him the most successful British fighter pilot during the conflict.[5][6]
| Aircraft destroyed or damaged by Flt Lt David Morgan during the Falklands War[12] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Location | Aircraft type & S/N | Pilot | Weapon used | Notes |
| 23 May 1982 | Shag Cove, West Falkland | SA.330L Puma (CAB 601) | – | Forced down and destroyed | |
| 23 May 1982 | Shag Cove, West Falkland | Agusta A‑109A (CAB 601) | – | 30mm ADEN cannon | Shared with Flt Lt Leeming |
| 23 May 1982 | Shag Cove, West Falkland | SA.330L Puma (CAB 601) | – | 30mm ADEN cannon | Shared with Lt Cdrs Gedge and Braithwaite |
| 8 June 1982 | Choiseul Sound | A‑4Q Skyhawk (Grupo 5) | Lt Bolzán † | AIM‑9L Sidewinder | |
| 8 June 1982 | Choiseul Sound | A‑4Q Skyhawk (Grupo 5) | Lt Vázquez † | AIM‑9L Sidewinder | |
Suffering frompost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of his combat experiences, Morgan attributed the subsequent termination of his marriage to the disorder.[5]
Distinguished Service Cross – for gallant and distinguished service in the South Atlantic.[20]
General Service Medal (1962) withNorthern Ireland clasp – for operational service in 1978.[21]
South Atlantic Medal withrosette – for service during the Falklands War in 1982.[22]Morgans citation for hisDistinguished Service Cross
The Sea Harrier pilots of 800 and 899 Naval Air Squadrons embarked in HMS HERMES have shown great courage in the air battle over and around the Falkland Islands which started at the end of April and continued throughout May. They were required to fly sortie after sortie, sometimes as many as four per day, often in appalling weather conditions, but remained steadfast and determined under continuous stress and constant danger. Their contribution enabled the Task Force to gain air superiority and thus almost certainly saved many lives which would otherwise have been lost in enemy air attacks. Flight Lieutenant Morgan has flown 50 operational sorties. During one sortie, he attacked a Puma helicopter with guns causing it to crash into a hill and, on a separate occasion, he and his wing man attacked and destroyed an entire formation of four Mirages, Flight Lieutenant Morgan himself shooting down two enemy aircraft.
The London Gazette states "he and his wing man attacked and destroyed an entire formation of fourMirages, Flight Lieutenant Morgan himself shooting down two enemy aircraft." In Morgan's book "Hostile Skies…" (see Bibliography)(Pages 290 - 295) Morgan states that he and his wing-man Dave Smith engaged a flight of four Argentinian A4 Skyhawk aircraft, Morgan destroying two and Smith one. This anomaly is explained by Morgan later in his book (page 300). The combat took place in poor light conditions, Morgan and Smith were unsure if the enemy aircraft had been Skyhawks or Mirages. Their final mission report stated they had engaged Mirages.
In 1993, Morgan met journalist Maxi Gainza and agreed to meet Héctor Sánchez, the Argentinian pilot he had engaged on 8 June 1982. This meeting was part of a broader reconciliation effort involving veterans from both sides, documented in a series of portraits by Argentineanthropologist Rosana Guberes.[23] Neil Wilkinson met Mariano Velasco, the pilot he shot down, andSimon Weston met Carlos Cachon, the pilot who bombedRFA Sir Galahad with Weston aboard. Morgan maintained contact with Major Roberto Yanzi, pilot of one of the Pumas he had shot down.[24]
In 2018 he met Pablo Bolzán, the son of Danilo Bolzán, accompanied him to the Falkland Islands and placed a memorial next to the wreck of Bolzán's aircraft.[25]
In 2007 Morgan published a book entitledHostile Skies: My Falklands Air War, and has also written poetry about his experiences.[26][27] After the conflict he continued to serve as a Harrier test pilot and instructor.[28] Morgan transferred permanently to the Navy in 1984, and finally left in 1992 holding the rank ofLieutenant Commander. He then became a commercial pilot forVirgin Atlantic.[5] Morgan is married and lives inDorset, and has two children and five grandchildren.[3]
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