In January 1944, 20-year-old PFC Wilton Moore found himself crossing the Atlantic Ocean in the belly of a Liberty ship.
Little did Moore know, he was about to play a role in some of the most famous battles of World War II.
Moore, of Oxford, was an airplane mechanic for the 461st Bomb Group of the 15th Air Force, stationed on the Torretta Airfield in Italy.
‘The 461st participated in D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge,? he said.
However, long before those famous battles, Moore got his first taste of battle in the belly of that small liberty boat.
Nearing the end of a 36-day journey across the Atlantic Ocean, his convoy of more than 100 ships endured a 12-minute air attack near the Straits of Gibraltar.
‘I was scared to death,? Moore said.
‘We were on just a little Liberty (ship),? Moore said. ‘We were sent below and it sounded like our boat was cracking wide open.?
Moore said the raid reportedly sunk one battleship, damaged another, and destroyed a bomber plane on one of the ship’s decks.
Upon reaching the Torretta Airfield near Cerignola, Italy, Moore discovered the base was so close to enemy lines that gun fire could be heard day and night.
Moore was an airplane and engine mechanic, one of four mechanics who maintained a B-24 bomber known as ‘The Plastered Bastard.?
Moore’s plane and its pilots successfully completed bombing runs over Germany, France, Italy, Hungary, Austria, Romania, and Greece. The unit’s primary mission was to wipe out enemy communications, aircraft centers, oil fields, and bridges.
‘It always came back,? Moore said. ‘Once with 137 holes in it ? they bombed Romania that day . . . The engine got shot (up), but it always came back.?
The 461st Bomb Group valiantly fought in more than 223 successful missions in the European Theater.
From May 19 through Aug. 16, 1944, the 461st Bomb Group maintained the highest average bomb score in the entire 15th Air Force.
During the war, Moore received eight bronze stars on his European-African-Middle Eastern Theater ribbon representing eight campaigns ? Normandy, Rome-Arno, Northern France, Southern France, Northern Apennines, Rhineland, Po Valley, and Air Combat Balkans.
Moore received the Good Conduct Medal for exemplary behavior, efficiency and fidelity during his active military service. He also received two Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation awards.
In August 1945, Moore returned home from the war to begin life again with his young wife Marjorie and 3-year-old son Winston. The family moved to Oxford in 1950.
In 1999, a battle plaque was dedicated to the entire 461st Bomb Group of the 15th Air Force at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington D.C.
Last month, Moore, now 81, and his family traveled to Washington D.C. to see the plaque and the newly-built World War II Memorial.
‘It brought back a lot of memories,? Moore said, adding he couldn’t believe the vast number of servicemen and women’s names etched on the World War II Memorial.
Of the 16 million U.S. servicemen and women who served in World War II, more than 400,000 perished in the line of duty.
Thankfully, Wilton Moore made it home to tell his story.