CHIÈVRES, Belgium – The story of Scott Moore is not just a personal narrative, but a profound reflection on the sacrifices made by his family during World War II, which he is dedicated to preserving and honoring.
As the deputy director of garrison Emergency Services at Chièvres Air Base, Moore has become a steward of his family’s legacy, stemming from the courageous service of four sons of his grandmother, Annie Moore, who fought valiantly in Europe and the Pacific.
Moore’s connection to World War II is intricately intertwined with the lives of his relatives, particularly two of Annie Moore’s first cousins, Staff Sgt. Oscar McIver and Tech. Sgt. Thomas McIver, both of whom died in 1944.
Their sacrifices, along with those of Moore’s own uncles, Cpl. Preston Moore and Seaman 2nd Class Wason Moore, form a critical part of the narrative that Scott Moore seeks to preserve for current and future generations.
Growing up on a 40-acre farm in Grice, Texas, Scott was deeply rooted in the values of hard work and community. His upbringing, filled with memories of fishing and farming alongside his family, nurtured a profound appreciation for their history and sacrifices.
The tragic fates of his relatives in the war represent not just personal loss but a significant part of the collective American experience during World War II.
Oscar McIver, a B-17 turret gunner from Tishomingo, Oklahoma, was the first of Scott’s relatives to be killed in the conflict. On February 6, 1944, his B-17 crashed in Pisseleux, France, during a mission to bomb German airfields, a pivotal operation aimed at crippling the Nazi Luftwaffe ahead of D-Day.
This mission was fraught with danger, and the account of Oscar’s tragic end is a testimony to the bravery and peril faced by aircrews during the war. After being hit by enemy fire, his plane exploded, scattering debris and bodies across the French countryside.
Only one crew member, Sgt. Joe Pino, survived, holding the bond of friendship deeply etched with the loss of Oscar.
Thomas McIver, Oscar’s cousin, similarly faced the unforgiving realities of war. Serving in the 120th Infantry Regiment, 30th Infantry Division, he landed in France during the historic D-Day invasion. Tragically, he was killed in action on August 29, 1944, during the Battle of Vexin, where fierce combat claimed thousands of lives including both U.S. and German soldiers, along with French civilians.
On the very day Thomas was killed, U.S. forces marched triumphantly down the Champs Élysées, oblivious to the sacrifice he had made just outside the city.
Both Oscar and Thomas McIver rest at the Epinal American Cemetery, a poignant reminder of the price of freedom.
Closer to home, Scott’s uncles had their own harrowing experiences during the war, neither of whom were entirely unscathed.
Cpl. Preston Moore, affectionately known as Buddy, was a Soldier in General George Patton’s storied 3rd Army. He was wounded in December 1944 while advancing to liberate American troops encircled during the Battle of the Bulge.
After a month of recuperation, he returned to service in Germany as part of the occupation forces before eventually returning home in 1946.
Meanwhile, his older brother Wason served aboard the battleship U.S.S. Maryland, which gained notoriety for surviving the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Wason faced multiple life-threatening situations whilst aboard, enduring Japanese attacks throughout the Pacific theater.
On April 1945, during the intense Battle of Okinawa, he was severely injured by a kamikaze strike on his ship, resulting in a long and painful recovery.
These stories, etched in family history, remained largely untold over the years, shared only during gatherings or family times spent reminiscing.
Scott recalls the lighter moments, like his uncle Buddy playfully insisting that he would choose to serve in the Army again rather than spend another summer working on the farm, indicating the complex emotions tied to their service.
Carrying the torch of remembrance, Scott found his own path in military service as he followed in the footsteps of his father, a Combat Engineer.
He served as a Military Policeman, deploying to Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War and later returning to Germany, an experience that deepened his understanding of his family’s sacrifices.
Now stationed in Europe again, Scott is positioned uniquely to delve deeper into his heritage and aims to keep the stories of his relatives alive.
This Memorial Day, he intends to visit the Epinal American Cemetery with his daughter, potentially strengthening their family bond and igniting her interest in their shared history.
The upcoming trip to the French cemetery, where Oscar and Thomas McIver are buried, is a significant pilgrimage that embodies Scott’s commitment to preserving their legacy.
He even plans to visit the crash site of Oscar’s B-17 in Pisseleux, allowing for a tangible connection to the past and an opportunity for reflection on the sacrifice made by generations before.
Scott speaks proudly of his daughter’s enthusiasm for uncovering the family’s history, noting that she recognizes the importance of this legacy.
He plans to share memorabilia, including photographs of Oscar McIver, and a book written by a family member that recounts earlier days spent together before the war.
Understanding the urgency to honor these sacrifices, Scott acknowledges that the burden of remembrance largely falls on him since his uncles never had children of their own.
“For my uncles, we’re all they’ve got left to recognize their sacrifices,” he emphasizes. “Being killed in action, Oscar and Thomas McIver didn’t have any children either. So, if I don’t do it then who is going to do it?”
In remembering the legacy of World War II, Scott Moore not only honors his family’s past but also contributes to the broader narrative that preserves the memory and significance of the sacrifices made by countless individuals during the tumultuous times of the war.
For those wishing to explore the enduring legacy of the U.S. Army during World War I and II, resources are available through the U.S. Embassy in Belgium.
image source from：https://www.army.mil/article/285162/benelux_employee_honors_family_wwii_legacy
