Vivian Mordaunt Moses – Captain, United States Marine Corps

Vivian Mordaunt Moses
Sumter, South Carolina
Born February 22, 1923
Captain, U.S. Marine Corps
Killed in Action
Died August 11, 1950 in Korea

Captain Moses was the pilot of a F4U-4B Corsair fighter with Marine Fighter Squadron 323, Marine Air Group 12 aboard the aircraft carrier USS BADOENG STRAIT (CVE-116).

On August 11, 1950, while on a combat mission of strafing enemy positions west of Kosong, Korea, his aircraft received a direct hit by anti-aircraft fire and crash landed.

Captain Moses was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Purple Heart, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.

He was buried in Section 3 of Arlington National Cemetery.


CREW OF CARRIER HONORS FIRST MARINE FLIER KILLED

ABOARD A CARRIER OFF KOREA, August 14, 1950 – The war aboard this small carrier stopped for a few minutes today to honor Captain Vivian M. Moses of Sumter, South Carolina, the first Marine aviator killed in the Korean War.

A Marine guard of honor fired a volley into the morning air while the ship’s crew stood at attention and short Jewish services were held for the 27-year-old Captain who was shot down on August 11.

Captain Moses, nephew of retired Marine Major General E. P. Moses of San Diego, was killed less than twenty-four hours after he had been shot down and rescued by a Marine helicopter off the Korean coast.  He was aboard the carrier less than an hour when he took off on his last mission.

Lieutenant Doyle H. Cole of Fort Smith, Arkansas, Captain Moses’ wingman, who was also downed, said ground fire apparently knocked out the Corsair’s oil line.

MOSES, VIVIAN, MORDAUNT

  • CAPT USMC
  • DATE OF BIRTH: 02/22/1923
  • DATE OF DEATH: 08/11/1950
  • BURIED AT: SECTION 3  SITE 1805
  • ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

vmmoses-gravesite-photo-august-2006

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