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Travel to family in CONUS From Hawaii & To Reuions, WW2, Korea & Vietnam
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Vietnam Air Force Pilot Wings
My GySgt Rank came 3 months before I retired when the new E-8 E-9 ranks took full effect. I had a one year letter in to CMC for retirement & could not be promoted. I had been a MSGt E-7 since 1957, served as Personnel Sgt Major, Line Chief, Maintenence Chief, S-4 logistics Chief, S-3 Ops Chief. Had recived USAF/VNAF pilot wings on contract(after retirement USMC) at USAF Advisory Group-Vietnam 1964-1968). Also had Vietnamese award not shown on the available items.Served as Senior CH53 Rep for 14 Years on Okinawa Japan with MAG-36 (1973-1987). During those years was deployed to Korea each year for"Team Spirit Exercise". Also support of units in Cubi Pt PI. Was on the LPH Okinawa for Opertaion "Frequent Winds" Apr 1975 Evacuation of Saigon. Was deployed to Diego Garcia than to Oman in support of prepartion for rescue of prisoners in Iran Late Nov 1979 .Prisoners were released when Regan was elected as President WW II to Viet Nam
Description The Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg. was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War of World War II. The 82-day-long battle lasted from early April until mid-June 1945. After a long campaign of island hopping, the Allies were approaching Japan, and planned to use Okinawa, a large island only 340 mi (550 km) away from mainland Japan, as a base for air operations on the planned invasion of Japanese mainland (coded Operation Downfall). Four divisions of the U.S. 10th Army (the 7th, 27th, 77th, and 96th) and two Marine Divisions (the 1st and 6th) fought on the island. Their invasion was supported by naval, amphibious, and tactical air forces.
The battle has been referred to as the "typhoon of steel" in English, and tetsu no ame ("rain of steel") or ("violent wind of steel") in Japanese. The nicknames refer to the ferocity of the fighting, the intensity of kamikaze attacks from the Japanese defenders, and to the sheer numbers of Allied ships and armored vehicles that assaulted the island. The battle resulted in the highest number of casualties in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Based on Okinawan government sources, mainland Japan lost 77,166 soldiers, who were either killed or committed suicide, and the Allies suffered 14,009 deaths (with an estimated total of more than 65,000 casualties of all kinds). Simultaneously, 42,000–150,000 local civilians were killed or committed suicide, a significant proportion of the local population. The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki together with the Soviet invasion of Manchuria caused Japan to surrender less than two months after the end of the fighting on Okinawa.
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
March / 1945
To Month/Year
June / 1945
Last Updated: Mar 16, 2020
Personal Memories
People You Remember VMTB-232 Major Feltmier CO. 1St Lt Folinos feat of shooting down a Japanese plane at night with a solid propelled ground attack rocket. Our proud score board of Ships, subs & A/C destroyed during our islands campaign.
Memories Daliy shelling & nightly bombing on the Coral strip at Kadena & Yomitan. The terrible smell of so many decaying bodies almost impossible to eat your rations. The Early morning Kamakase attacks on the ships in the harbor.Loss of Squadron Mates in the TBM A/C. Burial of hundred of Marines in a 3 Ft ditch wrapped in their poncho with a dog tag in their mouth & the other tag on a wooden cross by thier head. My injuries from a Japanese Shell from the Naha direction.The typhoon that blew away our tents and lying in the mud with no food for couple days. The day the ships in the harbor were all firing in the air and was thought it was an airiel attack & the troops on shore & the anti A/C guns joined in. Was word of the surrender of Japan which the ships had recived the news. Aboard ship when President Roosevelt Died on the wasy to Okinawa.The Battle ship Missouri shelling inland at Naha. The final return to San Pedro Ca in Nov 1945.Add photo "Sugar Loaf Hill 1945.Mud operations during battle for Okinawa Apr-June 1945. Photo Cpl Lukowsi Lf, Cpl Novobilski , SSgt Paul Moore. Seated Cpl Wischmeyer. Burial of KIA as discribed in my details of Okinawa.The twin engine Bombers landing wheels up at night on Yomitan airstrip. The 11 suicide troops in each A/C that got out with submachine guns and satchel charges. The massive confusion during that pitch black night. Until the situation was settled when all the intruders were eliminated.Japanese Navy unit wiped out along with the Japanese Navy base at Naha. Found the unit photo in the ruble after the battle.Return to Miramar Sandiego 1945 and disbanding VMTB-232 to inactive.During the process of the inactive status one battle star was over looked. Years later I was able to document this and this letter from CMC Historical section verifies.Photos of Night life & return to San Diego Nov 1945.Photo 4 years pay days from $21.00 a month 1942 thru 1946 Ssgt with flight pay, Total for 4 years $6,760.00. June 2007 Leatherneck story of our pet dog at Ulithi that was inavertally dropped off at Iwo Jima when one of our TBM-3 stopped there for refuel. It was enrote to the Invasion of Okinawa 1945 when the dog was left behind there while fighting was still underway. I was in VMTB 232 during the Okinawa Operation. We were busy with close air support for Sugar Loaf & the Shuri line.My friend 1st Lt Fox made an attack there that the men on the line said he was abot 50 ft above their position when a mortar round blew off one wing. We never recovered him and his crew after the area was cleared. We received lots of damage from small arms fire & mortar rounds during those support missions. One TBM returned with the side of the fuselage blown off by a mortar round & the crew badly wounded. As they approached our strip to land the Radio Gunner either jumped or fell on to the strip from about 200 Ft as they were landing. Lt Fox had went down at night in the ocean back at Ulithi along with two other A/C and was the only survivor from the 3 A/C crews of 9 men. He was offered the option to return to CONUS but opted to remain for the Okinawa Invasion. During my tour at MAG 36 Futenma 1973/1987 General James Day was the CG based at Camp Butler. I was fortunate to have several sessions with him about the Battle of Okinawa . I joked with him that I out ranked him back than he as a Cpl and I was a Staff Sgt back than.I retired in 1987 at the 1st MAW Okinawa. At that time my Manager came over to inform them that I was being replaced by a well qulaified individual. During our meeting with General Day He stated this and. General Day replied , " He may be well qualified but he will never replace Mr Moore". I have never received a higher compliment than that !! I attach a photo of one of our tanks knocked out at Sugar Loaf with myself on the Lf & Cpl J.. Gwizda on the Rt also, one of our front line supply drops.. VMTB-232 TBMs in flight and the plaque I received after 14 years (1973/1987) at MAG-36 Okinawa.. GySgt Paul Moore Ret
