War Tales

"Blue Goose Squadron" VP-22, Adm. Thomas Moorer, Pensacola Naval Air Station, Sangley Point Naval Air Station, USS Pueblo, USS Shangri-La (CVA-38)

For 60 years ex-Navy Cmdr. Bob Thomas has served his country and his God

In U.S. Air Force on June 19, 2013 at 2:38 am

Ensign Thomas, holding Danny his oldest son, and his wife, Cozette, are all smiles in this Navy photo taken in 1953 when he returned to Hawaii after a six months deployment to Kadena Air Force Base in Okinawa with "Patrol Squadron 22" that flew surveillance missions along the coast of China. Photo provided

Ensign Bob Thomas, holding Danny his oldest son, and his wife, Cozette, are all smiles in this Navy photo taken in 1953 when he returned to Hawaii after a six months deployment to Kadena Air Force Base in Okinawa with “Patrol Squadron 22″ that flew surveillance missions along the coast of China. Photo provided

After graduating from Pensacola Naval Air Station in 1951, Ensign Bob Thomas served as a navigator aboard a Navy P-2V, twin-engine “Neptune” bomber. He flew intelligence missions with the “Blue Goose Squadron,” VP-22, part of the “Formosa Straits Patrol Force” that surveilled the China coast.

My father, Thomas J. Moore was a pioneer aerial photographer who began his mapping career in World War I

In U.S. Air Force, World War I, World War II on June 17, 2013 at 2:38 am

This picture was taken in 1942 at Robbins Army Air Base, Warner Robbins, Ga., when my father and Bill Burgess, his pilot, were helping perfect aerial color film for the military. Unfortunately I never asked him about his career in aviation that began shortly after the turn of the century and lasted until 1955.

When I wrote this column in 2004 for the Charlotte Sun daily newspaper I was trying to make the point: Don’t do what I did and fail to interview your father about his military service and what he did in life after his time in the military. Unfortunately, I didn’t wake up to the fact until he was gone that my dad played a significant part in the aviation history of this country and had been involved with a number of aviation pioneers during his life on various projects.

Ray Jasica to deliver nuclear bomb to Russian sub pens during Cold War

In Cold War, U.S. Marine Corps, Vietnam on June 14, 2013 at 2:38 am

Ray Jasica was a Marine lieutenant flying F9F “Panther” jet fighters in the 1950s when this picture was taken. Photo provided

Ray Jasica, who now lives in Punta Gorda, Fla. was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant in Marine Corps Aviation after graduating from training at Pensacola Naval Air Station in 1954.

Don Moore

War Tales

For 60 years ex-Navy Cmdr. Bob Thomas has served his country and his God

My father, Thomas J. Moore was a pioneer aerial photographer who began his mapping career in World War I

Ray Jasica to deliver nuclear bomb to Russian sub pens during Cold War

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