Nov 11 2006
Remembering
The 306th Bomb Group was activated Oct 9, 1942 at Thurleigh Airfield Bedfordshire UK. The four squadrons of B-17 Flying Fortresses flew a total of 341 daylight bombing missions dropping a total of 22,575 pounds of bombs over occupied Europe until Apr 19, 1945. In 1998 USAF Major Charles Westgate III wrote his masters thesis, The Reich Wreckers: An Analysis of the 306th Bomb Group During World War II. Appendix A of his paper is a table depicting a line by line mission summary of all 341 missions. The same year Major Westgate wrote his thesis I met Ernest T “Mo” Moriarty.
Line 25, Mission #25 in the summary details the following information:
8 March 1943. Enemy air defenses LIGHT. Flak defenses LIGHT. Weather conditions over the target GOOD. Bombing technique VISUAL. Target MARSHALLING YARDS, RENNES France. 21 Aircraft participated in the mission. 18 aircraft completed the mission. 2 aircraft aborted due to maintenance issues. 1 never returned.
Crossing the channel, the Buddenbaum crew noticed the No. 2 and No. 3 engines were not producing enough power and the aircraft had troubles keeping its position in the formation. Shortly after crossing the French coast a single Focke Wolfe snuck in at 6 o’clock high and let loose a hell storm of 20mm rounds severing the aileron cables and tearing into the top turret. Pilot Otto Buddenbaum struggled to keep the B-17 from banking uncontrollably but soon shouted the order to bail out.
At 22,000 feet waist gunner Mo Moriarty jumped from the doomed B-17, counted to 10 and pulled his rip chord. Mo and most of the rest of the crew landed scattered miles apart in various farmer’s fields. Pilot Otto Buddenbaum’s shoot failed to open. He was the only crew member to not survive the bail out. The surviving crew all attempted to escape and evade capture. All failed except Mo. In 1987 Mo, after shopping his manuscript to dozens of uninterested publishers, self published his memoir, One Day Into Twenty Three.
Early in 1998 I was researching the topic of escape and evasion for a story I was writing. I came across Mo’s book on a website and ordered a copy. The story was fascinating. The writing was terrible. Along with my book order Mo had included a hand written note thanking me for my order and expressing his wonder at a young fellow so interested in an old timer’s tale. He included his contact information and an open invitation to visit him. Later that same year I made the necessary arrangements and flew from Vancouver British Columbia to Orange Massachusetts. I spent an entire week with Mo and his family. I stayed at a friend of Mo’s home because, well, Mo insisted because Mo lived a very simple existence in a ramshackle house out in the boonies (Mo’s words). During that week Mo retold his story and a few others while I fumbled with my video camera and basically botched my first and only life interview.
Over the next year or so Mo and I kept in touch by writing letters to one another. Soon though, my scattered life moved in other directions and Mo stopped writing. Today, as I’ve done each year at this time, I was thinking of Mo. I did a little digging on the Internet and for $2.95 USD I was able to download this Worcester Telegram & Gazette clipping:
I miss you Mo.
Your friend,
Joe
That’s pretty interesting Joe. I’m glad you got to meet Mo. What was your week with him like? Was he what you expected?
I bet it meant the world to him to get to meet you and tell you his stories.
Joe, that must have been facinating to hear his stories, especially the escape and evasion. Every time I meet a Veteran (which I do from time to time. I usually find out they’re Veterans because of a cluster of medals displayed in their home) I thank them for their sacrifice and time defending our country. I’m always amazed and in awe of them. Thanks for sharing that story with us.
Great story, Joe. Thanks.
Very cool, Joe
Thanks for sharing that.
Joe,
I too met Mo. In early 1997, I was researching my uncle who was killed in World War II. Mo had a Website called “Air Force Memories Guestbook”. I posted a question on it about the circumstances surrounding my uncle’s death on a B-17 Bombing Mission. Mo saw it and requested help from a WWII Researcher that he knew. Because of Mo’s intervention, I was able to make great gains in my understanding.
In June of 1997, at the Hanscom AFB 50th Anniversary of the Air Force Airshow, I met Mo. He was a character. I bought “One Day Into Twenty Three” out of his car trunk–a reconditioned hearse. Yes, Mo was a unique, caring and special man.
In the spring of 2008, the University of Oklahoma Press will be publishing my book which tells the story of my uncle’s last mission. The book is a narrative of the research. I have several pages about Mo in my book.
I would love to hear from you about your impressions and video interviews with Mo.
Regards,
Bob
Hi Bob. Thanks for your post. You can contact me via email, emailjoe AT mac DOT com.
Hi !
I met this Great Man for the first time in 1989 . Like said Bob , Mo was a unique, caring and special man.
My way of life did i miss the contact with his family but i remember his letter and his wishes for millenium,like always he jocking with me . When Erin wrote to me her Dad was died , i feel a big empty !
He have always a smoll place in my hart , such if the years passed !!!
Be blessed my Friend ! va avec les oies sauvages …
Your french ” nephew ” Korby