Chesters Final Mission
Chesters Final Mission:
Chester was killed in action on February 26, 1942 in B-17F "Short Snorter II" while serving as a bombardier/togglier. The aircraft was shot down by German fighters just west of the Frisian Islands and crashed not the North Sea while on a mission to Wilhelmshaven, Germany.
He was awarded the Air Medal, and a Purple Heart with 1 oak leaf cluster for his bravery. The mission he died on is described as a brave and courageous one. After 10 days of weather-related delays of the bomber offensive, a mission was organized with the port facilities of Emden, Germany as the primary target. However, Emden is obscured by cloud cover and all formations divert to attack the port facilities at Wilhelmshaven, Germany. 76 B-17s are dispatched to the location. The bomber gunners claim the following against German fighters: 21 destroyed; 9 probably destroyed; and 5 damaged. There is no fighter escort for this mission.
Remembrance:
Chester is buried or memorialized at Tablets Of The Missing at Cambridge American Cemetery, Cambridge, England. His parents had received word of his death shortly after and decided to allow him to have a tablet for remembrance in the cemetery in England.
Sources:
[1] https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/204541025/chester-l_-moran
2 https://www.honorstates.org/index.php?id=73603
3 https://www.americanairmuseum.com/aircraft/8108
4 https://www.remember-our-heroes.nl/us_401st.htm
5 https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/118965826/jacqueline-toncrey
6 https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/25845527/velma-fournier
7 https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/207061231/betty-joyce-moran
8 https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/207061231/betty-joyce-moran
9 https://www.armyaircorpsmuseum.org/91st_Bombardment_Group.cfm