B-26 Pickled-Dilly; The B-26 serial number was 41-18276 radio call sign letters were SS-C.

George's Military Training, Achievements and History by George's Niece Kathy Prince. Kathy is retired from Microsoft and lives in Arizona. Kathy is researching his time-line and writing an historically accurate accounting of his Service to our Country. George was KIA over Ribeaucort Nr Berneville, France., 8 July, 1943.

George's letters from the Columbia Air Base start up in May 1942, and run through the end of June 42, when he was transferred to Barksdale Field, Louisiana. His letter of June 25, 1942 indicates that he and his group will start flying the B-26s when they get to Barksdale.

At Columbia he was in the 34th Bomb Sq, 17th Bomb Group.

Sept '42 he was sent overseas to England - 8th bomber command, 3rd bomber wing, his letter says. At some point while he was overseas, he ended up with the 451st Bomb Sq, 322 Bomb Group.

George R. Moon was bitten by the aviation bug from the day he was born. His sister Pat recalls, "the family had no money for flying lessons, so as soon as he was old enough, he joined the Army Air Force (Feb 1941). In basic training, George qualified for pilot training in every way but one, age. His mother, thinking it was too dangerous, wouldn't sign the papers giving him permission, so instead he studied avionics.

He was assigned to the 17th Bomb Group, 34th Bomb Squadron at McChord AFB, Washington State. From there, he went to Pendleton Field, Oregon, and on to Tyndall Field, Panama City Florida for flexible gunnery training.

Excerpt from letter dated Feb 28, 1942: "Dear Folks, Things happen fast in the Army, and they have to me too. Darned near my whole Army life has changed in the last couple days. At noon Wednesday they told me to be ready at one o'clock to go to gunnery school. They shipped us down here to Panama City, Florida. At the end of our five weeks training course, we will either be kept as instructors because this is a new school, or shipped off to where gunner-radio operators are needed. You can guess where that would be. (….) This sure is a swell place. We are living in Stucco barracks with 6 men to a 25' x 30' room. That means we really have a lot of space. (…) I guess they are treating us nice now because we will catch hell later on."

Mar 3, 1942 "(…) I am getting to hate this place more and more. Every night we have to get out and do exercises … I can hardly stand up. And we have inspections every day. Have to wear a uniform all the time; and I thought we came down here to learn how to shoot a machine gun. We do have to be able to detail strip one and name every part in it. We are also supposed to be able to identify all airplanes friendly and enemy, and know the exact fuselage length and wing-span. Oh-h-h Mommy. I wanna go home."

George graduated with the Tryndall Field Aerial Gunners Class 42-14, Squadron B in April 1942. He then spent time at Columbia Army Air Base, Columbia South Carolina, and Barksdale Field, Louisiana where he became Acting Section Chief.

Excerpt from letter June 28, 1942: "The squadron is being busted up. They are going to make a new squadron out of it. (…) That makes me third executive. (…) Mom, I've never drunk a thing yet. I've gone 19 years without never once getting plastered or taking a drink. I hope you will not hate me too much if I go over there tonight and have a couple. I'll use discretion, I promise you. But look Mom and Dad, I am not exactly doing the safest thing in the Army. And it seems to be a lot of fun for some people, and I would like to try it just once."

George was sent overseas, to the 451st Bomb Squadron, 322nd Bomb Group, at Great Sailing, Andrews Airbase, England in Sept 1942. George was a B-26 radio operator/gunner, and flew on the B-26C-45-MO Maurader,Serial # 41-18276 ( ID#42-107680) named the PICKLED-DILLY (one of the "century" planes; Over 100 Missions!). We were told that George had completed his missions and was waiting for transport home. His best friend in the unit had one final mission to fly. This gent had a wife and child(ren) at home, so George volunteered to take his place. The 322nd bomb group was sent on a night mission July 7, 1944. 32 B-26s plus 3 Pathfinders were sent to bomb German V-1 Headquarters at Chateau de Ribeacourt, France. Attacks by ME1902, JU88s and ME110s began in the Oisemont area and continued to the Target, and to the Channel on return. Heavy flak and searchlights coordinated with the fighters resulted in heavy casualties. 9 B-26s were shot down, 2 B-26s were damaged beyond repair. Unfortunately the Pickled-Dilly was one of the B-26s that went down on that mission. The crew included:

· Pilot: 1st Lt. Claude B. Jones, KIA Normandy Cemetery D-3-34

· Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt Wilfred L. Allen

· Navigator-Bombardier: 1st Lt. Robert E. Silverman

· Engineer-Gunner: S/Sgt Ramond M. Close, KIA Normandy Cemetery B-6-23

· Radio Operator: T/Sgt George R. Moon, KIA Normandy Cemetery D-1-34

· Tail Gunner: S/Sgt Jack W. Tolbert

Technical Sergeant George R. Moon is buried at the Normandy American Cemetery, Colleville-sur-Mer, France. Plot D, Row 1, Grave 34.

George's many and Honorable DECORATIONS;

· Distinguished Flying Cross; Air Medal with ten Oak Leaf Clusters

· Purple Heart; Good Conduct Medal; American Defense Service Medal

· American Campaign Medal with one Bronze Service Star for participation in the Antisubmarine Campaign

· European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with two Bronze Service Stars for participation in the Air Offensive Europe and Normandy Campaigns

· WWII Victory Medal; Distinguished Unit Citation Emblem

AMERICAN BATTLE MONUMENTS COMMISSION - NORMANDY CEMETERY
George R. Moon Technical Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Forces Service # 19022116 451st Bomber Squadron, 322nd Bomber Group, Medium Entered the Service from: Washington Died: 8-Jul-44 Buried at: Plot D Row 1 Grave 34 Normandy American Cemetery Colleville-sur-Mer, France Awards: Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 11 Gold Stars, Purple Heart

MIA Greetings were sent to Mrs. Delmar R Moon, Salmon Beach, Tacoma, Washington.

From the Joe Baugher Army Serial # site. http://www.joebaugher.com/usafserials/usafserials.html_

41-18276 (322nd BG, 451th BS) MIA at night Jul 8, 1944. MACR 6628.

By Barbi Ennis Connolly, WWII Historical Researcher. PRINCESSBARBI_B25@msn.com

George Moon