Mike Moroz
| Date and Place of Birth: | 1916 Transcona, Manitoba, Canada |
| Date and Place of Death: | August 9, 1944 Normandy, France |
| Baseball Experience: | Amateur |
| Position: | Outfield |
| Rank: | Trooper |
| Military Unit: | 18th Armored Car Regiment, 12th Manitoba Dragoons |
| Area Served: | European Theater of Operations |
Mike and Harry Moroz were inseparable brothers growing up in Manitoba. They both would serve together in Europe, but neither would return.
Michael "Mike" Moroz was born in 1916 in Transcona, Manitoba in
Canada. Mike and Harry were the only sons of Mr and Mrs Alexander Moroz
and attended Central School in Transcona where they both excelled in
sports. Mike and Harry were both excellent hockey players. In 1935,
Harry played in goal for the Winnipeg Monarchs, Memorial Cup junior
champions of Canada, and he would go on to play senior hockey for the
Flin-Flon Bombers in the Saskatchewan Senior League. But for Mike
baseball was the number one game. He was an excellent outfielder and
played for the Transcona Trojans, the local champions.
In July 1942, Mike and Harry both enlisted. Harry joined the Royal
Canadian Air Force while Mike went into the Army. Mike was trained as a
wireless operator and armored car driver in Dundurn, Portage la Prairie
and Camp Borden. In June 1943, Mike said goodbye to his wife, Margaret
and young son Melvin, and left Canada for Britain with the 18th Armored
Car Regiment of the 12th Manitoba Dragoons in preparation for the
invasion of mainland Europe.
Flying Officer Harry Moroz was also in Britain at this time with 408
Squadron - serving as aircrew on Avro Lancasters. On March 23, 1944,
Harry Moroz was killed during a raid over Frankfurt.
On July 8, 1944, Trooper Mike Moroz and the 18th Armored Car Regiment
arrived at Normandy in France. They were soon in combat. On August 9,
Moroz was driving the lead Scout armored car when an 88mm armor-piercing
shell scored a direct hit. Lance Corporal Mike Slator, a 17-year-old
from Winnipeg and Trooper Mike Moroz were both killed instantly.
Moroz is buried in the Bretteville-sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery in
Calvados, France.
For many years the Moroz Memorial Cup was given to the Transcona
Baseball MVP. The trophy was donated to the Transcona Historical Museum
in 2001. In 1979, Moroz Bay, which is located at the north end of Maria
Lake in northern Manitoba was named for Mike. And in the Regents Park
area of Transcona "Moroz Street" has been named to honor the two
brothers.
On June 4, 2006, the Transcona Legion renamed its Banquet Hall in memory
of Mike and Harry Moroz as part of the Legion’s Decoration Day Parade
and Service. The widow of Mike Moroz, Mrs. Margaret Nykoluk was present
with her family.
Thanks to Sheryl Kolt, Museum Curator at the Transcona Historical Museum for help with this biography.
Date Added: February 7, 2013
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