World War II Honoree

William H. Moran, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: 1ST LIEUTENANT. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE UNITED STATES ARMY AIR CORPS SEPTEMBER 3, 1942 AT PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA. SERVED AS A B-24J ‘LIBERATOR’ BOMBER COPILOT, WHO EXPERIENCED COMBAT IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS. ASSIGNED TO THE 701ST BOMBER SQUADRON, 445TH BOMBER GROUP, U.S. 8TH ‘MIGHTY EIGHTH’ ARMY AIR FORCE. HIS SQUADRON WAS STATIONED AT TIBENHAM ROYAL AIR FORCE STATION ENGLAND, U.S. ARMY AIRFIELD STATION #124. ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1944 HE WAS REPORTED AS MISSING IN ACTION, LOST AT SEA WHEN HE AND HIS CREW FAILED TO REACH THE FORMATION RENDEZVOUS POINT, DURING A 30 AIRCRAFT ROUTINE BOMBING AND TRAINING MISSION. THE WEATHER WAS OVERCAST WITH LIGHT ICING CONDITIONS DURING TAKE-OFF, AS REPORTED BY THE DEBRIEFING CREWS, WHO HAD COMPLETED THEIR MISSION. NOTHING WAS EVER HEARD FROM THE CREW AFTER TAKEOFF, NO DISTRESS OR MAYDAY CALL, NO WRECKAGE OR BODIES WERE RECOVERED, AS NONE OF THE FLIGHT PATH WAS SUPPOSED TO BE OVER THE ENGLISH CHANNEL. HE IS MEMORIALIZED IN THE TABLETS OF THE MISSING AT THE CAMBRIDGE AMERICAN CEMETERY AND MEMORIAL CAMBRIDGESHIRE, ENGLAND AND IN THE TABLETS OF THE MISSING EAST COAST MEMORIAL NEW YORK. IN HIS MEMORY AND HONOR, A CENOTAPH MEMORIAL HAS BEEN PLACED IN ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA. DECORATION AND CITATION: THE AIR MEDAL WITH 3 OAK LEAF CLUSTERS WAS AWARDED TO THE LIEUTENANT FOR MERITORIOUS ACHIEVEMENT WHILE PARTICIPATING IN AERIAL FLIGHT.