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Show -N E W S- Spanish Fork Covering what matters tflost Moran reflects on past combat Finest Hour Christy Hardman Tim Moran was a senior in high school when he and his "gang" enlisted in the National Guard in the Battery C Heavy Artillery Unit. They went to drill once a month, and what Moran called summer encampment for two weeks every year. "Thai's when we fired the big guns," Moran said. "We had lots of fun in camp." After high school, Moran attended BYU, working to pay his way through college. Moran said that in 1940 the Navy Air Corps came around trying to enlist young men to become pilots. The boys had to go through a strict physical that only two out of 60 boys passed. Moran was one of them, and he went to the Navy Air Corps. His time in with the Navy was short-lived, however, as he was eliminated from the training. "They were really fussy," Moran said. "There were 30 of us in the program, and only two stayed in." From there, Moran went in to the Army Air Corps where he attended a six-week aerial gunnery course in Las Vegas. He was excited to become an aerial gunner, but after he earned his aerial gunner wings, he wasn't allowed to go into action. Moran already had two years of college behind him, and when the army saw that on his resume, they recruited him to become an instructor at the gunnery school, where he remained for another year. * Finally Moran was able to join a bomb group1, where he became a gunner on a "bomber." He was in the 96 Bomb Group in England, where he flew in a B17. The men called them flying fortresses because the planes were so well fortified. Moran said each plane had 20 50-caliber machine guns, as well as ten men, the pilot, copilot, bombardier, navigator, a nose gunner, a turret gunner, two waist gunners, a top turret gunner and a tail gunner. Each position had two 50-caliber machine guns. Moran was the Waist Gunner Staff Sgt., and then halfway through the training, replaced the bombardier. The bombardier's job was to operate the chin turret in the nose of the plane. He waited for the signal from the squadron leader, and then dropped the bombs. Moran flew a total of 19 combat missions, and he said he saw a lot of planes that got hit by German sharpshooters on the ground. "On one bombing mission our plane crew counted 19 planes that were shot down. There were ten men in each plane," he said. On one mission Moran said they had their ball turret gunner badly wounded. He remembers waiting while the medics came and pulled the wounded man out. "That was a really sad Tim Moran feeling going through my whole body watching them take my friend out to the ambulance," Moran said. The wounded man did recovery, though. After two months in the hospital Moran said he was released back into action, and even flew a couple more missions. On another combat mission, the oxygen hose connected to Moron's mask was shot away. Another time they were shooting at the railroad yards in Berlin where 400 flak guns were pointed at them. Moran saw the light on the bomb panel turn on, which indicated a bomb was stuck. When he looked into it, he saw the control pane! had sustained damages, and the bomb was barely hanging on. Moran worked with the engineer to splice the cable. Later when they landed, they discovered that the entire tail section of the plane had been shot up and would need to be completely replaced. All of Moran's aerial combat took place over Germany. Right after his 19th combat mission, they heard the war was over, and all the soldiers rejoiced at the news. "It was a feeling you can't explain," Moran said. "We were so happy that we or anyone else wouldn't have to go out again and get shot at." Moran said another thing he remembers about his time in the service was how well they were fed. "We'd go back to the base where we lived in small barracks, and we always had hot, cooked meals. Sometimes they'd feed us steak, fish or chicken. They really fed us good." Moran said on days they went out on combat missions they had special breakfasts. "We had eggs anyway we wanted, hash browns, ham, bacon and pancakes. We really got the best." Moran earned awards for his service to his country. He got the air medal with two oak leaf clusters and the European campaign ribbon with two battle stars. The 96 Bomb Group where he served had a total of 198 men killed and 189 aircraft with their air crews missing in action at the European Theater from 1943-1945. Moran said only two of the ten men on his crew are still alive, himself and the pilot, Max W. Krell, who lives in Indiana. Moran, who will be 90 years old at the beginning of August, still keeps in touch with him. SPANISH FOm NEWS WEDNESDAY, JULY 23, 2008 • A5 Miss ionaries Gavin James Gordon Elder Gavin James Gordon returned home on July 23 from serving a full time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Cape Town South Africa Mission. Gavin is the son of Todd and Deanne Gordon of Salem. His grandparents are Richard and Margie Banks of Spanish Fork and Maxine and the late Ted Gordon of Lake Shore. Gavin will be speaking in the Salem 10th Ward, 460 West SR 198, Salem on July 27 at Kent and Sylvia Hanseii 9 a.m. Welcome Home Elder Gavin Gordon! Kent and Sylvia Hansen have been called to serve in the Canada Toronto West Mission, for The Church of Robert Adams Lowe Robert Adams Lowe has accepted a call to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Elder Lowe will serve in the Dominican Republic Santo Domingo East Mission, Spanish-speaking. He will enter the MTC July 30. He will speak in the Spanish Peak ward, 275 South 1400 East, Spanish Fork at 1 p.m. on July 27. Robert is the son of Gordon and Janice Lowe. Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They reported to the MTC, for their 18-month mission on July 21. Colton Frost Collon Frost, son of Julie Frost, has been called to the Texas San Antonio Mission. His farewell will be held on July 27 in the North Park Ward at II a.m. Colton is the grandson of Diane Frost Clifton Frost Kate Gardner Kate Gardner has been called to serve in the California Oakland Mission. She will report to the MTC July 30. She will speak Sunday. July 27 in the Lake Shore 2nd Ward. Kate is the daughter of Mike and Shauna Gardner. Clifton Frost, son of Julie Frost, has been called to the California San DiegoMission. His farewell will be held on July 27 in the North Park Ward at 11 a.m. Clifton is the grandson of Diane Frost Jake Brandon Cowboys & Associates I O\\IKI\S ItalsKlP S(T\Ke MIA IO Decrees Elder Jake Brandon, son of Rick and Debbie Brandon of Spanish Fork, has returned from the Texas, Dallas Spanish speaking Mission of the LDS church. He will speak in the Spanish Fork Mount Loafer Ward, 1455 East 300 South on Sunday, July 27 at 9 a.m. Help Wanted! Mobile Mechanics low Truck Drivers Also hiring for Dispatchers •• Ir.Hn in be .il refill Hmhcr • No r\|)cricn(rnei OSS.UA • W imhi Hie rli'lii liHlMttals UNLIMITED SALARY POTENTIAL $ $ $ Call Sue or Sherri 798-2241 HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING • Service • Furnace Replacements • A/C Add Ons • Green Sticker • Financing OAC bryant HMtlRg ft Cooling Sy*t*m* BUILDER OF CUSTOM HOMES FOR 30 YEARS Building lots with a great view starting at $89,900 WHATEVER IT TAKES 798-1700 Spanish Fork News Covering what matters most. PHastt * TOD Soil I" Available! Ready for CoutrvctfoB _ ' a r ***** informatlon call Robert Nelson Office: 423-1141 • Mobile: 470-2562 |