Ernest M. Moore – Major General, United States Air Force

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Courtesy of the United States Air Force
Suggested By Russell C. Jacobs, June 2007

MAJOR GENERAL ERNEST MOORE
Retired November 1, 1961. Died April 7, 1981.

Ernest Moore was born in Vienna, Illinois, in 1907. After attending the University of Missouri for two years he entered the U.S. Military Academy, graduated June 11, 1931, and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Coast Artillery Corps.

Entering primary flying school at Randolph Field, Texas, Second Lieutenant Moore graduated from the advanced flying school at Kelly Field, Texas in October 1932. He was then assigned to the 77th Pursuit Squadron at Barksdale Field, Louisiana, and on January 25, 1933, was transferred to the Army Air Corps. From March to May 1934, he was on detached service as an air mail pilot at the Municipal Airport, Chicago, Illinois, and then returned to Barksdale. In June 1936, after promotion to first lieutenant, he began a one year graduate course in meteorology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass. After he graduated he was on duty at Langley Field Virginia, as base weather officer and adjutant of the Second Weather Squadron.

Going to Hawaii in July 1939, he joined the 18th Bomb Wing, became regional control officer, Hawaiian Weather Region at Hickam Field, and in July 1940 assumed the additional duty of commanding the 18th Bomb Wing Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron. During this period he was promoted to Captain, and later to Major.

In August 1941, Major Moore was designated assistant chief of staff for personnel of the Hawaiian Air Force there, and the following January as a lieutenant colonel, he was named assistant chief of staff for operations, and commanding general, successively. It was during this period that Colonel Moore won the Legion of Merit for “the establishment and coordination of the various elements of the aircraft warning system, and for bringing the Seventh Fighter Command to an extremely high state of training,” and, as brigadier general, was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for “planning and executing very long range fighter operations against the Japanese Empire… These operations were the longest range fighter operations in the history of the Army Air Forces, and were accomplished under the most adverse conditions.”

Transferred to Continental Air Force headquarters at Bolling Field, Washington, D.C., that September, General Moore went to Hamilton Field, California, a month later and, on October 15, was named deputy commander of the 4th Air Force there.

He entered the National War College, Washington, D.C., In June 1946, graduated a year later and was assigned to the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff with the Military Staff Committee of the United Nations.

Assigned to U.S. Air Force headquarters in July 1948, General Moore was named chief of the Air Intelligence Division and became assistant for production in the Directorate of Intelligence in March 1950.

He assumed command of the Philippine Command and 13th Air Force at Clark Air Force Base on October 16, 1951. He emerged from this assignment as a Major General. On October 1, 1952, he was named deputy chief of staff, Far East Command, headquarters Far East Air Forces. From June 1953 to July 1954, he was assigned as deputy chief of staff of operations, Headquarters Far East Command.

Joining the Military Air Transport Service on August 25, 1954, General Moore was named chief of staff at MATS Headquarters, Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland. In August 1955, General Moore was named vice commander of MATS.

On July 16, 1957, General Moore assumed command of the U.S. Third Air Force in the United Kingdom. He also acts as chief of the U.S. Military Assistance Advisory Group to the U.K., and is area commander for the U.S. Forces in Britain.

MOORE, ERNEST M

  • MAJ GEN   US AIR FORCE
  • DATE OF BIRTH: 12/23/1907
  • DATE OF DEATH: 04/07/1981
    BURIED AT: SECTION 1-I  ROW 18  SITE 3
  • ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

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