World War II Honoree

Mark Taylor Mooty

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Winter Haven, Florida

Honored By

Grateful American

Relationship

Admirer

ATTENDED FLIGHT TRAINING SCHOOL. ON DECEMBER 12, 1941, THEN A SECOND LIEUTENANT, ENTERED SERVICE. HAVING EARNED HIS WINGS, HE FLEW MISSIONS OVER GERMANY, ITALY, LIBYA AND ROMANIA AS A B-24 COMMANDER. HE ROSE TO THE RANK OF LIEUTENANT COLONEL AFTER THE BOMBING RAID OVER THE PLOESTI OIL FIELDS IN RUMANIA. HE WAS COMMAND PILOT WHO LED THE FIRST MISSION OVER TRIPOLI TO DAMAGE THE GERMAN-HELD OIL PIPELINE. ALONG WITH HIS CREW, THEIR SUCCESSFUL RAIDS AND MISSIONS ARE A PIECE OF HISTORY IN A WAR FOUGHT AND WON BY THE GREATEST GENERATION. HAVING FLOWN EVERY AIRCRAFT THE AIR FORCE BUILT, HE WAS AWARDED COUNTLESS COMMENDATIONS, DECORATIONS, MEDALS AND RIBBONS. AMONG THEM ARE THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, AIR FORCE COMMENDATION MEDAL, SILVER STAR FOR VALOR, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, AND THE EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL.