World War II Honoree

Robert W. Moore

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Louisville, Kentucky

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

SERVED AS A P-51 ‘MUSTANG’ FIGHTER PILOT IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER WITH THE 78TH FIGHTER SQUADRON, 15TH FIGHTER GROUP, VII FIGHTER COMMAND. ALSO COMMANDED THE 45TH FIGHTER SQUADRON, WITHIN THE 15TH FIGHTER GROUP. STATIONED AT SOUTH FIELD ON IWO JIMA IN THE BONIN ISLANDS BEGINNING MARCH 2, 1945. PARTICIPATED IN THE CENTRAL PACIFIC, AIR OFFENSIVE-JAPAN, EASTERN MANDATES, AND AIR COMBAT-ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER CAMPAIGNS. INITIALLY FLEW HIS AIRCRAFT, NICKNAMED 'STINGER VII' BECAUSE IT WAS THE SEVENTH PLANE HE HAD FLOWN IN THE PACIFIC, ON MISSIONS IN SUPPORT OF THE INVASION FORCE ON IWO JIMA. THEN STRUCK ENEMY AIRFIELDS, SHIPPING AND INSTALLATIONS IN THE BONIN ISLANDS. TOOK PART IN LONG-RANGE BOMBER ESCORT AND FIGHTER SWEEPS AGAINST AIRFIELDS AND OTHER TARGETS ON THE JAPANESE HOME ISLANDS. FLIGHTS AGAINST JAPAN INVOLVED A LONG 8-HOUR ROUND TRIP FROM IWO JIMA OVER A DISTANCE OF SOME 1600 MILES. EARNED THE DESIGNATION OF FIGHTER PILOT 'ACE' GIVEN TO PILOTS WHO HAD SHOT DOWN FIVE OR MORE ENEMY AIRCRAFT. MAJOR MOORE ALSO HELD THE DISTINCTION OF HAVING SHOT DOWN MORE ENEMY PLANES OVER JAPAN THAN ANYONE ELSE. HE DOWNED A TOTAL OF 11 PLANES, ALL OVER JAPAN. LESS THAN ONE PERCENT OF ALL PILOTS EVER ACHIEVED THE TITLE OF 'ACE' AND YET OVER 40 PERCENT OF AIRCRAFT DESTROYED DURING THE WAR WERE AT THE HANDS OF 'ACES.' AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, AIR MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. AUTHORIZED THE PRESIDENTIAL (DISTINGUISHED) UNIT CITATION FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM IN ACTION BY HIS SQUADRON ON APRIL 7, 1945 WHILE ESCORTING B-29 ‘SUPERFORTRESS’ BOMBERS TO STRIKE THE NAKAJIMA AIRCRAFT PLANT NEAR TOKYO, JAPAN. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.