William Fulton Moore
Sergeant William F. Moore was a Marine aviator with VMB-413.
His aircraft went down in bad weather between Canton Island and Tutuila, Samoa, 22 January 1944.
Branch
Marine Corps Reserve
Service Number 389543
Current Status
Remains Not Recovered
Pursuit Category
Due to circumstances of loss, this individual is considered permanently non-recoverable.
Capsule History
Pre-War Life
Birth
September 4, 1922
at Miller, MO
Parents
Rev. Fulton Moore
Leatha Frances (McRae) Moore
Education
High school graduate
Occupation & Employer
Drug store clerk
Service Life
Entered Service
March 10, 1942
at St. Louis, MO
Home Of Record
Fayette, MO
Next Of Kin
Parents, Fulton & Leatha Moore
Military Specialty
Navigator / bombardier
Primary Unit
VMB-413
Campaigns Served
—
Individual Decorations
—
Additional Service Details
—
Loss And Burial
Circumstances Of Loss
In December 1943, the newly-formed medium bomber squadron VMB-413 received deployment orders to the South Pacific. To reach their advanced base (and avoid Japanese-held islands in the Central Pacific) the squadron flew from Oahu to Palmyra Island, then to Canton Island, Tutuila (Samoa) and finally Espiritu Santo.
On 22 January 1944, the squadron departed from Canton Island for the 800-mile journey to Tutuila. “We encountered very heavy rains and a very large [weather] front,” recalled veteran Jim Merriman. “It wasn’t possible to fly over or around it, so the airplanes separated and our plane flew under it. One plane did not make it, and we searched for that about a week, but never found any signs of it.”
The missing plane was PBJ1-D #35131, piloted by First Lieutenant Stanley M. Duvall. The entire crew was posted as missing, and ultimately declared dead on 23 January 1945.
Burial Information or Disposition
None; remains not recovered.
Next Of Kin Address
Wartime address of Reverend Fulton & Mrs. Leatha Moore.
The Moores moved several times during the war years, and were residing in Oklahoma City when William was reported missing.
Location Of Loss
Last reported position of PBJ1-D #35131, “about 15 miles southeast of Fakaofu [sic] Island, Samoan Islands.”
