{{short description|US Air Force general}} {{Infobox military person | name = Joseph H. Moore | birth_date = {{birth date|1914|04|27}} | death_date = {{death date and age|2006|12|27|1914|4|27}} | burial_place = [[Ft Sam Houston]] National Cemetery | image = Joseph H. Moore.jpg | caption = Lieutenant General Joseph H. Moore | nickname = | birth_place = [[Florence, South Carolina]], [[United States|U.S.A.]] | death_place = [[San Antonio, Texas]] | allegiance = [[United States of America]] | branch = [[United States Air Force]] {{tree list}} * [[United States Army]] ** [[United States Army Air Forces]] ** [[United States Army Air Corps]] {{tree list/end}} | service_years = 1937–1971 | rank = [[File:US-O9 insignia.svg|36px]] [[Lieutenant general (United States)|Lieutenant General]] | unit = | commands = [[4th Tactical Fighter Wing]], [[2nd Air Division]], [[Seventh Air Force]], [[Inspector General]] of the Air Force | battles = [[World War II]]<br/>[[Vietnam War]] | awards = [[Distinguished Service Cross (United States)|Distinguished Service Cross]]<br/>[[Air Force Distinguished Service Medal]]<br/>[[Legion of Merit]](2)<br/>[[Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)|Distinguished Flying Cross]](2)<br/>[[Air Medal]](6)<br/>[[Air Force Commendation Medal]]<br/>[[Army Commendation Medal]] | relations = | other_work = National Commander of the [[Order of Daedalians]] }}
'''Joseph Harold Moore''' (27 April 1914 – 27 December 2006) was a [[Lieutenant general (United States)|lieutenant general]] in the [[United States Air Force]] (USAF), known for his role as commander of the [[2nd Air Division]] and [[Seventh Air Force]] during part the [[Vietnam War]], and in particular, his leadership role in [[Operation Rolling Thunder]].
==Biography== Born in [[Florence, South Carolina|Florence]], South Carolina in 1914, General Moore spent his childhood and school days in [[Spartanburg, South Carolina|Spartanburg]]. He graduated from [[Spartanburg High School]], attended [[Wofford College]] for two years, and later [[Centenary College of Louisiana]] in [[Shreveport]], Louisiana. General Moore entered the military service as an [[Aviation Cadet Training Program (USAAF)|aviation cadet]] in June 1937 and was awarded his pilot wings and [[Second Lieutenant (United States)|second lieutenant]] commission in the [[United States Army Air Corps]] in June 1938.<ref name=afbio>{{cite web|title=Lieutenant General Joseph H. Moore |url=http://www.af.mil/information/bios/bio.asp?bioid=6520 |publisher=[[United States Air Force]] |accessdate=29 May 2012 |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20121212020225/http://www.af.mil/information/bios/bio.asp?bioid=6520 |archivedate=12 December 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
When [[World War II]] started he was in the [[Philippine Islands]] and by April 1942 had flown 100 combat hours in [[P-40 Warhawk]] fighter aircraft. He also flew a salvaged [[United States Navy]] [[Grumman J2F Duck]] nicknamed "Candy Clipper" delivering much needed aid to the besieged troops on Bataan and Corregidor. After the [[Battle of Bataan|fall of Bataan]] he made his way to Australia and served with [[United States Army Air Forces]] units there until August 1942. He then returned to the United States for short tours in Florida, Virginia and Pennsylvania before being sent to [[European theatre of World War II|Europe]] in November 1943, where he took part in the [[Operation Overlord|Normandy]], [[Allied advance from Paris to the Rhine|North France]] and [[Western Allied invasion of Germany|Rhineland]] Campaigns.<ref name=afbio/>
He remained in Europe until January 1945 returning to the United States to spend the next two years in various operations and training assignments including [[Command and General Staff School]] at [[Fort Leavenworth]], Kansas. In December 1946 he was assigned to Europe with the [[Allied-occupied Germany|Army of Occupation in Germany]]. In October 1947 he returned to the Pentagon as deputy chief, Zone of Interior Commands Branch, Office of the Director of Plans and Operations, USAF Headquarters and was elevated to chief in June 1948. In May 1951 he assumed command of the [[137th Special Operations Wing#Korean War federalization|137th Fighter-Bomber Wing]] at [[Alexandria Municipal Airport]], Louisiana.<ref name=afbio/>
His third tour of duty in Europe began in May 1952 when he moved the first fighter-bomber unit assigned to [[NATO]] to France. In June 1953 he was appointed deputy assistant chief of staff for operations for the [[Twelfth Air Force]] at [[Ramstein Air Base|Ramstein]], [[West Germany]]. The following April he was designated deputy chief of staff, [[United States Air Forces in Europe]], and in July, vice chief of staff, USAFE.<ref name=afbio/>
In August 1955 he returned to the United States to enter the [[National War College]] in Washington, D.C. Upon graduation in June 1956, he became commander of the [[323d Air Expeditionary Wing#323rd Fighter-Bomber Wing|323d Fighter-Bomber Wing]] at [[Bunker Hill Air Force Base]], Indiana. He was transferred to [[Shaw Air Force Base]], South Carolina, as [[Ninth Air Force]] Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations in July 1957.<ref name=afbio/>
In June 1958 he became chief of staff of the Ninth Air Force where he remained until he took command of the [[4th Tactical Fighter Wing]], [[Seymour Johnson Air Force Base]], North Carolina, in February 1959.<ref name=afbio/>
On December 11, 1959, he received the [[Bendix Trophy]] for flying a [[F-105 Thunderchief]] over a 100 kilometer closed course to establish a world speed record of 1,216 mph.<ref name=afbio/>
Moore was assigned to Headquarters [[Tactical Air Command]], [[Langley Air Force Base]], Virginia., as assistant deputy for operations in October 1961. In January 1964 he became commander of the [[2nd Air Division]] in [[South Vietnam]], and in June 1965 assumed the additional position of deputy commander for air operations, [[Military Assistance Command, Vietnam]]. On April 1, 1966, the [[Seventh Air Force]] was reactivated and assumed the expanding mission formerly assigned to 2nd Air Division in Southeast Asia and he remained as commander. In July 1966 he became vice commander in chief, [[Pacific Air Forces]]. General Moore was assigned as the [[Inspector General of the Air Force]] in August 1967.<ref name=afbio/>
He was rated a [[command pilot]] and held the [[Distinguished Service Cross (United States)|Distinguished Service Cross]], [[Air Force Distinguished Service Medal]], [[Legion of Merit]] with [[oak leaf cluster]], [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)|Distinguished Flying Cross]] with oak leaf cluster, [[Air Medal]] with five oak leaf clusters, [[Air Force Commendation Medal]] and the [[Army Commendation Medal]].<ref name=afbio/>
Moore retired from the United States Air Force on April 1, 1971.<ref name=afbio/> After retirement, he and his wife, Virl, moved to Mrytle Beach, South Carolina, and then to San Antonio, Texas. Virl died in 1980. Moore later married, Heide, and continued residing in [[San Antonio|San Antonio, Texas]]. He was a National Commander of the [[Order of Daedalians]], a fraternity of military pilots.<ref name=aubio>{{cite web|title=Eagle Biography|url=http://www.au.af.mil/au/goe/eagle_bios/1988/moore_1988.asp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111223193056/http://www.au.af.mil/au/goe/eagle_bios/1988/moore_1988.asp|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 23, 2011|publisher=[[Air University (United States Air Force)|Air University]]|accessdate=29 May 2012}}</ref> He died on Dec. 27, 2006 and was interred at [[Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery]].<ref name=gravereg>{{cite web|title=MOORE, JOSEPH H|url=http://gravelocator.cem.va.gov/index.html|publisher=[[United States Department of Veterans Affairs]]|accessdate=29 May 2012|archive-date=1 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190601190609/https://gravelocator.cem.va.gov/index.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{US government|url=http://www.af.mil/information/bios/bio.asp?bioid=6520|title=Lieutenant General Joseph Harold Moore|agency=United States Air Force}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Moore, Joseph Harold}} [[Category:1914 births]] [[Category:2006 deaths]] [[Category:United States Air Force generals]] [[Category:United States Air Force personnel of the Vietnam War]] [[Category:United States Army Air Forces pilots of World War II]] [[Category:People from Florence, South Carolina]] [[Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit]] [[Category:Recipients of the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal]] [[Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States)]] [[Category:Centenary College of Louisiana alumni]] [[Category:Wofford College alumni]] [[Category:National War College alumni]]