World War II Honoree

Norman S. 'Moe' Moise

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Houston, Texas

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

SERVED IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER WITH COMPANY A, 2ND AMTRAC BATTALION, 2ND MARINE DIVISION. PERFORMED DUTIES AS A CREWMEMBER ABOARD AN AMPHIBIOUS TRACTOR (LVT-1). PARTICIPATED IN THE SOLOMON ISLANDS CONSOLIDATION CAMPAIGN AT GUADALCANAL, TULAGI, GAVUTU, AND TANAMBOGO. HIS COMPANY WAS AWARDED THE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION WITH BRONZE STAR. TOOK PART IN THE GILBERT ISLAND OPERATION CAMPAIGN BEGINNING WITH LANDINGS AT TARAWA ATOLL ON NOVEMBER 20, 1943. THE BATTLE FOR TARAWA WAS ONE OF THE BLOODIEST IN THE HISTORY OF THE MARINE CORPS. DESIGNATED TO LAND CARGO OF 81MM MORTAR SHELLS AT RED BEACH ONE ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE OF THE ISLAND. DURING HIS FIRST RUN TO THE BEACH, RECEIVED ENEMY MACHINE GUN FIRE WHICH STRUCK HIS VEHICLE. DURING UNLOADING OPERATIONS AT THE BEACH, ONE OF HIS FELLOW CREWMEMBERS WAS WOUNDED. HE GAVE 2 OF HIS MACHINE GUNS FROM HIS AMTRAC TO THE MARINES ON THE BEACH TO AUGMENT THEIR FIREPOWER. AFTER TAKING SOME 12 WOUNDED FROM THE BEACH, STARTED THE RETURN TRIP TO THE SUPPORT SHIP. BEGAN TAKING SHELL FIRE FROM JAPANESE SHORE BATTERIES AT ABOUT 600 YARDS OFFSHORE. LEFT HIS STATION AT THE AFT MACHINE GUN AND MOVED FORWARD TO DIRECT THE DRIVER TO PROCEED IN A NEW DIRECTION TO AVOID THE FIRES. A SHELL STRUCK THE VEHICLE BEFORE HE REACHED THE DRIVER AND HE WAS WOUNDED AND KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS. WHEN HE REGAINED CONSCIOUSNESS THE AMTRAC WAS ON FIRE AND HE WAS SURROUNDED BY CARNAGE. HE DRAGGED HIS DRIVER OUT OF DANGER FROM THE FLAMES INTO THE CARGO COMPARTMENT ALTHOUGH HE HAD LOST THE USE OF ONE ARM. HE THEN ASSISTED OTHERS OFF THE VEHICLE INTO THE SHALLOW WATER AND FOLLOWED ONTO THE SUBMERGED CORAL. WHILE MOVING IN THE WATER, CAME UNDER MACHINE GUN FIRE, FEIGNED BEING HIT, AND THEN STAYED LOW IN THE WATER SO THAT HE ONLY EXPOSED HIS HEAD. MADE HIS WAY TO ANOTHER DAMAGED AMTRAC, MADE IT ABOARD AND PASSED OUT. WAS RESCUED BY A PASSING HIGGINS BOAT AND TAKEN TO THE TRANSPORT SHIP USS HARRY LEE WHERE HIS WOUNDS WERE TREATED AND THEY PERFORMED A LENGTHY PROCEDURE TO REPAIR HIS BADLY DAMAGED ARM. ABOUT 2 DAYS AFTER THE BATTLE, WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE HOSPITAL SHIP USS SOLACE FOR FURTHER TREATMENT AND TRANSPORTATION OUT OF THE BATTLE ZONE. AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART BY ADMIRAL CHESTER NIMITZ.