- Walter Harold Mosley
Walter Harold Mosley, born in
Waco, Texas ,17 January 1916 .Navy career
"Mosley" enlisted in the Navy
12 February 1940 . Appointed an aviationcadet 21 June 1940 , he completed flight training atPensacola, Florida , and was commissioned ensign11 March 1941 .Assigned to Patrol Squadron 22, he was based at Ford Field during the Japanese attack on
Pearl Harbor 7 December . In January 1942 he flew with his squadron toDarwin, Australia , to support the Allied attempt to halt the Japanese advance through Southeast Asia. Based onUSS William B. Preston (AVD-7) , "Mosley" flew patrols north ofAustralia into theJava Sea and surrounding waters plotting the movements of the Japanese.As copilot of a PBY-5, he departed for a patrol south of
Amboina ,Moluccas ,19 February . With Lt.Thomas H. Moorer (later admiral andChief of Naval Operations ) as pilot, the patrol plane spotted a merchant ship off Melville Island,Australia , and turned to investigate. About 0920, nine Japanese fighters, part of a 70 plane force en route to bomb Darwin, Australia, jumped the PBY. Soon the plane was in flames, its port engine out and fuel streaming along the fuselage. Despite the attacking fighters, Lieutenant Moorer and "Ensign Mosley" skillfully landed the plane. In Lieutenant Moorer’s words, "Mosley" assisted by handling the throttle “although dazed and bleeding profusely from a wound in the head.”SS Florence D. , an American merchant ship carrying ammunition to thePhilippines , rescued the crew. Later that day, Japanese carrier planes attacked the unarmed ship with 500 pound bombs. Survivors, including "Mosley", madeBathurst Island in two lifeboats about midnight, and aRAAF patrol plane spotted them on the 21st. The next morning,HMAS Warranambool , anAustralia nsubchaser , rescued them and carried them to Darwin23 February . Early in March "Mosley" returned to theUnited States where he joined VP 44 for operations out ofPearl Harbor . Late in May he flew search patrols out ofMidway Island in anticipation of an enemy attack. During the first air attack against the island4 June Mosley was serving as copilot in 44-P-12. His patrolling PBY-5A was attacked by two Japaneseseaplanes , and the bomber was shot down in flames.Awarded the Silver Star
"Ensign Mosley" was posthumously awarded the
Silver Star for “extremely gallant and intrepid conduct” during the air action19 February 1942 .Namesake
Mosley (DE-321) was named in his honor. The ship was laid down byConsolidated Steel Corp.,Orange, Texas ,6 April 1943 ; launched26 June 1943 ; by Mrs. A. G. Mosley; and commissioned at Orange30 October 1943 , Lt. Comdr. James A. Alger, Jr.,USCG , in command.ee also
References
:DANFS
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/m15/mosley.htm Walter Harold Mosley]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.