Oregon Public Broadcasting

A World War II veteran from Ferndale, Washington says he’s still “on fire” days after receiving a very tardy medal for heroism in combat.  Joe Moser is 87-years-old now.  Correspondent Tom Banse has the story.

During World War Two, Joe Moser piloted a P-38 fighter bomber.  He earned the high military honor for leading an attack on a well-defended railroad yard.  This happened over occupied France in 1944.

Joe Moser: “I actually don’t remember the mission. There were so many of them.”

What Moser remembers better is a mission two weeks later.  That was when the Germans shot down his fighter and captured him.  He ended up as one of the few Americans held at the Buchenwald concentration camp. 

The airman was just glad to get home alive after the Allies liberated their POW’s.  Meanwhile, he was absent when his fighter squadron mates collected medals.

Joe Moser: “My squadron diary had listed me as deceased.”

The Whatcom County man did not discover he was missing a prestigious medal until a squadron reunion in the 1990’s.

It would take a decade more to correct the oversight.

Joe Moser says he didn’t receive an apology from the military, nor does he need one.

Online:

Joe Moser: “A Fighter Pilot in Buchenwald”