Army Air Corps veteran receives delayed Distinguished Flying Cross (updated)

  • Published
  • By Tyler Hemstreet
  • Staff writer
MCCHORD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  Editor's note: Photos from the actual presentation on Jan. 29 have been added to this story.

Sixty-five years removed from unknowingly earning the Distinguished Flying Cross, Army Air Corps veteran Joseph Moser finally had his hard-earned day in the limelight. 

Mr. Moser was presented the Distinguished Flying Cross at McChord's Annual Awards Banquet Jan. 29 at the McChord Clubs and Community Center. 

As a first lieutenant for the 474th Fighter Group during World War II, Mr. Moser flew a highly successful bombing mission over a heavily fortified target on July 30, 1944 and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Two weeks later, his P-38 Lightning was shot down over Germany and he was held as a prisoner of war, eventually being sent to the Buchenwald concentration camp.

Because of misplaced paperwork, Mr. Moser was never presented his Distinguished Flying Cross. He didn't even learn about the award until reading about it in a squadron diary given to him by a friend in the early 1990s.

After a few unsuccessful attempts by his family to petition state officials for a ceremony, the effort lost steam.

"I just figured it was lost and that I would never get it," said Mr. Moser, now 87.

But momentum was re-ignited after author and friend Gerald Baron discovered the oversight in interviews with Mr. Moser for a book he was working on. Upon making some connections at a local Rotary Club meeting, Mr. Baron contacted retired Chief Master Sgt. Rick Arnold, who helped get the ball rolling again, he said.

"The whole process has been exciting and incredibly rewarding," Mr. Baron said. "It's exciting to see what (the commitment to awarding the Distinguished Flying Cross) means to the Air Force."

When Mr. Baron told Mr. Moser that he was finally going to be publicly acknowledged, the 87-year-old lifetime Whatcom County resident could hardly believe his ears.

"I thought he was pulling my leg ... I didn't really believe it," Mr. Moser said. "It still hasn't really sunk in - it's quite an honor."

And more than 30 of Mr. Moser's family members made the trek from Ferndale, Wash., to McChord to witness the historic ceremony.

"They're all really excited," Mr. Moser said. "I've never mentioned much about what I did in the service. Since Gerald has been writing the book, they're learning new things about me. It's been real good for me to get (that information) out."

In addition to attending the award ceremony, some of Mr. Moser's family members experienced a tour of the base.