43-25677    42-27587     42-27486      42-27575       P47s

 

On 5 October 1944, a P-47D-23RA, # 43-25677, assigned to 10th Air Force, 33rd Fighter Group, 58th Fighter Squadron, departed the airfield at Moran, Assam, India, on a fighter protection mission around Moran. It was last sighted East of Ledo, India, at about 1730 hours IST. The pilot was 2ndLt David S. Moore, # 0-827495. He was last seen by 1stLt Richard K. Turner, 0-672715. Search led by Maj. Roland L. Hedrick, 0-491319, 1333rd AAF Base Unit was held up due to weather. Three other fighter pilots missing were 2ndLt Joseph G. Azat, # 0-820195 (P-47, # 27587), 2ndLt Verne A. Bryant, # 0-697542 (P-47, # 42-27486), and 1stLt Richard K. Turner, # 0-672715 (P-47, # 42-27575).

 

MOORE, DAVID STANDISH, Second Lieutenant, # 0-827495, USAAF

 

David S. Moore was born on 8 December 1922 in New York to Arthur Standish Moore (1880-1956) and 2nd spouse, Effie J. (Laavy) Moore (1898-1985) (married 2 March 1922). A brother was Stephen Hull Moore (1925-1998) and a half-sister, Marjorie (Moore) Butterworth (1909-1991), whose mother was Anite E. (Dumars) (1886-1918) (married 27 August 1907, NY).

 

After enlisting, he completed flight instruction through advances schools and earned his commission and pilot wings. He was assigned to fly the vaunted P-47. On 5 October 1944, a P-47D-23RA, # 43-25677, assigned to 10th Air Force, 33rd Fighter Group, 58th Fighter Squadron, departed the airfield at Moran, Assam, India, on a fighter protection mission around Moran. It was last sighted East of Ledo, India, at about 1730 hours IST. The pilot was 2ndLt David S. Moore, # 0-827495. He was last seen by 1stLt Richard K. Turner, 0-672715. Search led by Maj. Roland L. Hedrick, 0-491319, 1333rd AAF Base Unit was held up due to weather. Three other fighter pilots missing were 2ndLt Joseph G. Azat, # 0-820195 (P-47, # 27587), 2ndLt Verne A. Bryant, # 0-697542 (P-47, # 42-27486), and 1stLt Richard K. Turner, # 0-672715 (P-47, # 42-27575). A memorial was placed in the Cutchogue Cemetery, Cutchogue, Suffolk Co., New York.

 

TURNER, RICHARD KINGSLEY, Captain, # 0-672715, USAAF

 

Richard K. Turner was born on 3 July 1920 in Dallas, Dallas Co., Texas, to Roy Clyde “Dick” Turner (1895-1941) and Orpha May Norman (1896-1970). A sister was Mary Norman Turner (1917-1993).

 

He registered for the WW II draft on 16 February 1942 in Dallas, Texas, and described himself as 5’9”, 160 lbs, with brown hair and blue eyes. He enlisted in the USAAF in Dallas, Texas, on 23 March 1942. he completed flight instruction through advances schools and earned his commission and pilot wings. He was assigned to fly the vaunted P-47. On 5 October 1944, a P-47D-23RA, # 42-27575, assigned to 10th Air Force, 33rd Fighter Group, 58th Fighter Squadron, departed the airfield at Moran, Assam, India, on a fighter protection mission around Moran. It was last sighted East of Ledo, India, at about 1730 hours IST. The pilot was 2ndLt David S. Moore, # 0-827495. Search led by Maj. Roland L. Hedrick, 0-491319, 1333rd AAF Base Unit was held up due to weather. Three other fighter pilots missing were 2ndLt Joseph G. Azat, # 0-820195 (P-47, # 27587), 2ndLt Verne A. Bryant, # 0-697542 (P-47, # 42-27486), and 2ndLt David S. Moore, # 0-827495, P-47, # 43-25677. He is remembered on the wall of the missing in the Manila American Cemetery & Memorial, Philippines.