Background
Charlie M. Moore was born 1920 to parents Mr. and Mrs. Jesse E. Moore in Columbia, South Carolina. He had three brothers: Robert, Jennings and Glenn and two sisters: Pearle and ?. Charles married to Myrtle Gibbons, the couple had a son "Chuck" Moore.
Joined the US Army on August 14, 1942 and trained at Denver, Colorado and graduated from Air Force Technical School on December 5, 1942 as a fighter aircraft armorer. Sent overseas and assigned to the 5th Air Force, 38th Bombardment Group, 405th Bombardment Squadron flying B-25 Mitchell medium bombers in New Guinea.
Missing In Action
On October 16, 1943 took off from Durand Drome (17 Mile) near Port Moresby as the radio operator/gunner aboard B-25D "Lucky Star" 41-30183 on a mission against Alexishafen. Leaving the target, two "Zeros" (Ki-43 Oscars) made a frontal attack at the formation, damaging this B-25 and causing it to veer up out of formation.
Fellow B-25 piloted by 1st Lt. Richard Slye and 2nd Lt. John J. Shields observed the pilots of the damaged B-25 removing their helmets
and releasing the escape hatch in preparation for a crash landing. The cowling of the right motor was
missing, and engine smoking. Before ditching into the sea south-east of Madang, both
engines were feathered. On impact, the B-25 bounced several feet and remain afloat for about five minutes at roughly 5 15' S, 145 53' E.
Dog Tag Found
Either during Moore's time at Durand or after he went missing, his dog tag was dropped on the ground. During the 1980s, Henry Mayer found Charlie Moore's dog tag on the ground at Durand Drome (17 Mile) near Port Moresby.
During 2004, Mayer donated seventy-two dog tags found to Pacific Wrecks with the goal of returning them to the former owner or their relatives. Photographs and information on these dog tags were placed online at US Army Dog Tags Found Around Moresby by Henry Mayer.
Relatives Found
During October 2011, Seth H. Moore (grandson of Charles H. Moore) contacted Pacific Wrecks and
inquired about the dog tag, providing newspaper articles and documents from his grandfather.
Seth H. Moore (grandson of Charles H. Moore)
"My name is Seth H. Moore, grandson of fallen S/Sgt. Charles H. Moore. His wife, my grandmother, is now 91 years young and it would be such a gift to be able to get our hands on Charles dog tags to offer her closure after years of love and wonder. This is true for my father, Charles H. Moore, Jr. who never knew his father, but what a shame. His father would have been very proud of his son for the amazing father and loving soul that he is to his family, friends, and to anyone that is so lucky to come in contact with him. You immediately feel a ease when you are in his presences. Thank you for collecting tangible heirlooms that hopefully find their way home to go along with preserved memories of our love ones 'The Brave' ".
Christmas Surprise
Moore's dog tag was mailed to Seth, who gave it to his father, Chuck Moore on December 25, 2011 as a Christmas gift.
Seth Moore adds:
"It was a great honor for me to be able to give my dad his father's dog tags. It was a very special evening filled with a whirlwind of emotions and amazement that after all this time tags that once wore around my grand father's neck, yet, never seen by my father is now sitting in my father's hand. Truly unbelievable. Thank you and Mr. Mayer so much for this gift. My parents will be in touch soon with pictures and how they want to proceed with the media."
Chuck Moore adds:
"Thank you for the incredible gift of getting my father's dog tag to us. I never knew my father as he left the US for New Guinea when I was five weeks old, and was last heard from when their plane ditched off Madang. It was an emotional moment on Christmas when my son, Seth, presented me with my father's dog tag. It is overwhelming to have a personal item of his after all these years. My mother Myrtle is 90 years old now, and we have told her of this incredible find. She is still sorting through her emotions on this, so has not seen the dog tags as yet. This is such a meaningful service that you, Henry Mayer, and PacificWrecks are doing in honoring the servicemen who served in the Pacific, and reuniting the tangible, personal item to their families."
Wife Laurie Moore adds:
"I have never been so surprised. I thought Seth and I would be more excited about the gift than Chuck was. As it turned out it was an evening of plain raw emotion for Chuck and Seth. It was almost too intimate to watch. Chuck was not only surprised by the gift (he knew Seth was working on getting the tag, but apparently had no idea it had arrived even though Seth and I had whispered on many occasions right before Christmas) but the emotion that poured forth from Chuck upon seeing the tag. I can't believe that my husband at age 67, and his mother at age 89, have found some tangible part of Chuck's father's life. It really is just unbelievable!"
References
"Sgt C. M. Moore Listed as Dead by War Department" February 9, 1946
October 16, 1943 Mission Over Alexishafen
The Augusta Chronicle "Evans man receives dog tag of father who went missing in WWII"
Thanks to Chuck Moore, Laurie Moore and Seth Moore for additional information |
Moore family prewar
Charlie H. Moore
B-25D "Lucky Star"
MIA October 16, 1943
Henry Mayer
Charlie H. Moore
Dog Tag
Son Chuck Moore surprised with his father's dog tag on Christmas
Chuck and Seth Moore embrace after presentation
|
