Farewell to a True American Hero

Human Events, Feb 16, 2004 by Roberts, James C

The next day an Australian destroyer rescued Moorer and his crew and dropped them off in Darwin, Australia.

"We went ashore," the admiral said, "and the town was completely deserted. Every man, woman and child had fled into the bush," thinking a Japanese invasion was imminent.

As this story indicates, the admiral had a great sense of humor.

Having served under Mac Arthur at war's end, he reflected on the general's penchant for large staffs.

"If you asked MacArthur what time was sunset on that day, he would press a button and the colonel in charge of tracking sunsets would enter the room and give you the precise time, " Moorer said.

During that service Moorer also got to know many of the senior Japanese military leaders against whom he had fought.

Years later, he recalled an occasion when Commander Mitsuo Fuchida, the leader of the aircraft strike force that attacked Pearl Harbor, visited him in Washington.

Moorer asked Fuchida what he was doing. Fuchida explained that he was now a Methodist missionary and was traveling around to the schools in Japan teaching the students about Christianity.

To which Moorer replied, "You'd better not let the Supreme Court catch you doing that in this country. They'll lock you up."

Speaking at our 2002 conference Adm.Moorer reflected on the effects of advancing age, noting, "I'm 90 years old. I can't walk; I can't see and I can't hear. But other than that, I have a hell of a good time."

Clearly a major reason for his positive outlook on life was his family. He and his wife Carrie were married for 69 years and he rarely spoke without making an affectionate comment about her.

On one occasion he said, "They say that a good wife can make a man happy or successful. Well my wife has made me both happy and successful."

On February 24, Mrs. Moorer will receive the tri-cornered American flag at the formal funeral service to be held at Arlington National Cemetery.

There, with full military honors, the nation will pay tribute to a great American, wishing him, in the words of the old Navy farewell, "fair winds and a following sea."

Mr. Roberts is president of Radio America and the World War II Veterans Committee.