RICHARD S. MOSS, CAPT, USN
Richard Moss '24
Lucky Bag
From the 1924 Lucky Bag:
Loss
From The Sandusky Register of Sandusky, Ohio, on Saturday, December 28, 1946:
CAPT. RICHARD MOSS. U.S.N. NORWALK, Dec. 28—Word was received here of the tragic death of Captain Richard Moss, 45, of the United States naval air corps, in a plane crash over Guantanamo Bay Cuba, Dec. 26. The body was recovered and will be flown to Washington for burial in Arlington Cemetery. No other details are available as Captain Moss was flying alone at the time. His father, Col. James A. Moss, retired army officer, who with Mrs. Moss has been living in Sarasota, Fla., is flying to Cuba and will return to Washington with the body. In the meantime his mother, Mrs. Moss, formerly Kate Kellogg will go to Fayetteville, N. C. where her other son, Romaine win accompany her to Washington. Captain Moss graduated from Norwalk High school with the class of 1920, and from the Annapolis Naval Academy in 1924. On the day of his graduation, he was united in marriage to Miss Louise Bean, Baltimore, who also survives. There are no children. During World War II, he served on the airplane carrier Block Island and for the past nine months has been commander of the naval base at Guantanamo. A month ago, he was decorated by the Cuban government for saving the town of Guantanamo from destruction by fire.
Richard is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Wartime Service
Richard was commanding officer of USS Solomons (CVE 67) beginning in January 1945.
The "Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps" was published annually from 1815 through at least the 1970s; it provided rank, command or station, and occasionally billet until the beginning of World War II when command/station was no longer included. Scanned copies were reviewed and data entered from the mid-1840s through 1922, when more-frequent Navy Directories were available.
The Navy Directory was a publication that provided information on the command, billet, and rank of every active and retired naval officer. Single editions have been found online from January 1915 and March 1918, and then from three to six editions per year from 1923 through 1940; the final edition is from April 1941.
The entries in both series of documents are sometimes cryptic and confusing. They are often inconsistent, even within an edition, with the name of commands; this is especially true for aviation squadrons in the 1920s and early 1930s.
Alumni listed at the same command may or may not have had significant interactions; they could have shared a stateroom or workspace, stood many hours of watch together… or, especially at the larger commands, they might not have known each other at all. The information provides the opportunity to draw connections that are otherwise invisible, though, and gives a fuller view of the professional experiences of these alumni in Memorial Hall.
July 1924
Ensign, rifle team, Naval Academy
Others at this command:
September 1924
Ensign, rifle team, Naval Academy
Others at this command:
November 1924
Ensign, USS Arizona
Others at this command:
January 1925
Ensign, USS Arizona
Others at this command:
March 1925
Ensign, USS Arizona
Others at this command:
May 1925
Ensign, USS Reno
July 1925
Ensign, USS Reno
October 1925
Ensign, USS Reno
January 1926
Ensign, USS Reno
October 1926
Ensign, under instruction, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida
Others at this command:
January 1927
Ensign, under instruction, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida
Others at this command:
April 1927
Ensign, under instruction, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida
Others at this command:
October 1927
Lieutenant (j.g.), Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B, USS Langley
Others at this command:
Others at or embarked at USS Langley:
LT James Carney '21 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)
January 1928
Lieutenant (j.g.), 16th Naval District
Others at this command:
April 1928
Lieutenant (j.g.), Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 5A
July 1928
Lieutenant (j.g.), Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 5A
October 1928
Lieutenant (j.g.), Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 5A
January 1929
Lieutenant (j.g.), Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 5A
April 1929
Lieutenant (j.g.), Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 5A
July 1929
Lieutenant (j.g.), Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 5A
October 1929
Lieutenant (j.g.), Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 5A
January 1930
Lieutenant (j.g.), Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 5A
Others at this command:
April 1930
Lieutenant (j.g.), Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 5A
Others at this command:
October 1930
Lieutenant (j.g.), Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida
Others at this command:
LT Paul Thompson '19
LT Irving Wiltsie '21
LTjg Matthias Marple, Jr. '23
LTjg Robert Larson '24
LTjg James McDonough '24
LTjg John Waldron '24
LTjg Charles McDonald '24
1LT Donald Willis '24
January 1931
Lieutenant (j.g.), Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida
Others at this command:
LT Paul Thompson '19
LT Irving Wiltsie '21
LTjg Matthias Marple, Jr. '23
LTjg Robert Larson '24
LTjg James McDonough '24
LTjg John Waldron '24
LTjg Charles McDonald '24
LTjg John Duke '26
LTjg James Averill '27
April 1931
Lieutenant (j.g.), Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida
Others at this command:
LT Irving Wiltsie '21
LTjg Matthias Marple, Jr. '23
LTjg Robert Larson '24
LTjg James McDonough '24
LTjg John Waldron '24
LTjg Charles McDonald '24
LTjg John Duke '26
LTjg James Averill '27
LTjg William Potts '27
ENS Carl Lindgren '28
July 1931
Lieutenant (j.g.), Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida
Others at this command:
LT Irving Wiltsie '21
LTjg Matthias Marple, Jr. '23
LTjg Robert Larson '24
LTjg James McDonough '24
LTjg Charles McDonald '24
LTjg Carlton Hutchins '26
LTjg Charles Signer '26
LTjg John Duke '26
LTjg William Potts '27
ENS Carl Lindgren '28
October 1931
Lieutenant (j.g.), Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia
January 1932
Lieutenant (j.g.), Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia
April 1932
Lieutenant (j.g.), Navy Rifle Team, Naval Academy
Others at this command:
CDR Robert English '11
LCDR Lyman Swenson '16
LT Samuel Arthur '20
LT Robert Smith '20
LT Paul Slawson '20
LTjg William Hobby, Jr. '23
LT John Welch '23
October 1932
Lieutenant (j.g.), engineering officer, USS Simpson
Others at this command:
January 1933
Lieutenant (j.g.), engineering officer, USS Simpson
Others at this command:
April 1933
Lieutenant (j.g.), engineering officer, USS Simpson
Others at this command:
July 1933
Lieutenant (j.g.), engineering officer, USS Simpson
October 1933
Lieutenant (j.g.), engineering officer, USS Simpson
April 1934
Lieutenant (j.g.), engineering officer, USS Simpson
July 1934
Lieutenant (j.g.), engineering officer, USS Simpson
October 1934
Lieutenant (j.g.), engineering officer, USS Simpson
January 1935
Lieutenant (j.g.), engineering officer, USS Simpson
April 1935
Lieutenant (j.g.), engineering officer, USS Simpson
October 1935
Lieutenant, under instruction, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida
Others at this command:
LT James Craig '22
LTjg John Duke '26
1LT Ernest Pollock '28
LTjg William Pennewill '29
LTjg Robert Coates '30
1LT Nicholas Pusel '30
LTjg Gilbert Carpenter '30
LTjg Lance Massey '30
1LT Harold Bauer '30
LTjg Robert Mackert '31
January 1936
Lieutenant, Bombing Plane Squadron (VB) 2B, USS Saratoga
Others at this command:
Others at or embarked at USS Saratoga:
LCDR John Gillon '20 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B)
LT Arnold Isbell '21 (Aircraft Squadrons)
LTjg Charles Signer '26 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Harold Richards '27 (Aircraft Squadrons)
LTjg Loren Morris '27 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B)
LTjg Leonard Southerland '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Oliver White '30 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B)
LTjg James Murphy '31 (Torpedo Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg Thomas Ashworth, Jr. '31 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Edward Blessman '31 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B)
LTjg Albert Gates, Jr. '32 (USS Saratoga)
ENS Wendell Froling '34 (USS Saratoga)
ENS Maurice Fitzgerald '35 (USS Saratoga)
April 1936
Lieutenant, Bombing Plane Squadron (VB) 2B, USS Saratoga
Others at this command:
Others at or embarked at USS Saratoga:
LCDR John Gillon '20 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B)
LT Arnold Isbell '21 (Aircraft Squadrons)
LTjg Charles Signer '26 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Harold Richards '27 (Aircraft Squadrons)
LTjg Loren Morris '27 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B)
LTjg Leonard Southerland '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg James Murphy '31 (Torpedo Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg Thomas Ashworth, Jr. '31 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Edward Blessman '31 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B)
LTjg Albert Gates, Jr. '32 (USS Saratoga)
ENS Wendell Froling '34 (USS Saratoga)
ENS Maurice Fitzgerald '35 (USS Saratoga)
July 1936
Lieutenant, Bombing Plane Squadron (VB) 2B, USS Saratoga
Others at this command:
Others at or embarked at USS Saratoga:
LT Charles McDonald '24 (Torpedo Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg Leonard Southerland '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg William Pye, Jr. '28 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg John Collett '29 (Aircraft Squadrons)
LTjg Lloyd Greenamyer '29 (Aircraft Squadrons)
LTjg Finley Hall '29 (Aircraft Squadrons)
LTjg Thomas Ashworth, Jr. '31 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Edward Blessman '31 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B)
LTjg Albert Gates, Jr. '32 (USS Saratoga)
LTjg George Bellinger '32 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
ENS Wendell Froling '34 (USS Saratoga)
ENS Maurice Fitzgerald '35 (USS Saratoga)
January 1937
Lieutenant, Bombing Plane Squadron (VB) 2B, USS Saratoga
Others at this command:
Others at or embarked at USS Saratoga:
LCDR John Gillon '20 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B)
LT John Waldron '24 (USS Saratoga)
LTjg Leonard Southerland '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LT William Pye, Jr. '28 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg John Collett '29 (Torpedo Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg Thomas Ashworth, Jr. '31 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Clarence Kasparek '32 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 4B)
LTjg Albert Gates, Jr. '32 (USS Saratoga)
LTjg George Bellinger '32 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
ENS Maurice Fitzgerald '35 (USS Saratoga)
April 1937
Lieutenant, Bombing Plane Squadron (VB) 2B, USS Saratoga
Others at this command:
Others at or embarked at USS Saratoga:
LCDR John Gillon '20 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B)
LT John Waldron '24 (USS Saratoga)
LT Leonard Southerland '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LT William Pye, Jr. '28 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg John Collett '29 (Torpedo Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg Thomas Ashworth, Jr. '31 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Clarence Kasparek '32 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 4B)
LTjg Albert Gates, Jr. '32 (USS Saratoga)
LTjg George Bellinger '32 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
ENS Maurice Fitzgerald '35 (USS Saratoga)
September 1937
Lieutenant, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida
Others at this command:
LTjg Samuel Dealey '30
1LT Harold Larson '31
LTjg Albert Gray '31
LTjg Charles Crommelin '31
LTjg John Spiers '32
LTjg John Phillips, Jr. '33
LTjg Robert Isely '33
Others at or embarked at this command:
CAPT Ernest Pollock '28 (Training Squadron (VN) 2D8)
LT William Pennewill '29 (Training Squadron (VN) 1D8)
January 1938
Lieutenant, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida
Others at this command:
LTjg Samuel Dealey '30
1LT Harold Larson '31
LTjg Albert Gray '31
LTjg Charles Crommelin '31
LTjg John Spiers '32
LTjg John Phillips, Jr. '33
LTjg Robert Isely '33
ENS Glenn Dunagan '33
Others at or embarked at this command:
CAPT Ernest Pollock '28 (Training Squadron (VN) 2D8)
LTjg Alden Irons '31 (Training Squadron (VN) 2D8)
July 1938
Lieutenant, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida
Others at this command:
LTjg Samuel Dealey '30
LTjg John Huntley '31
LTjg Albert Gray '31
LTjg George Ottinger '32
LTjg William Widhelm '32
ENS Glenn Dunagan '33
ENS Norman Ostergren '35
Others at or embarked at this command:
January 1939
Lieutenant, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida
Others at this command:
LT Samuel Dealey '30
LTjg John Huntley '31
LTjg Albert Gray '31
LTjg William Thorn '32
LTjg Glenn Dunagan '33
LTjg Norman Ostergren '35
Others at or embarked at this command:
CAPT Paul Moret '30 (Training Squadron (VN) 3D8)
LT Alden Irons '31 (Training Squadron (VN) 3D8)
LTjg William Widhelm '32 (Training Squadron (VN) 5D8)
2LT Ralph Haas '36 (Marine Barracks)
October 1939
Lieutenant Commander, executive officer, Bombing Squadron (VB) 3, USS Saratoga
Others at this command:
Others at or embarked at USS Saratoga:
LTjg George Nicol '34 (Scouting Squadron (VS) 3)
ENS Raymond Vogel, Jr. '36 (Fighting Squadron (VF) 3)
ENS William Mason, Jr. '37 (USS Saratoga)
ENS John Black '38 (USS Saratoga)
ENS Keene Hammond '38 (USS Saratoga)
ENS Lenard Reichel '39 (USS Saratoga)
ENS Claude Goodman, Jr. '39 (USS Saratoga)
ENS Norman White '39 (USS Saratoga)
June 1940
Lieutenant Commander, executive officer, Bombing Squadron (VB) 3, USS Saratoga
Others at this command:
Others at or embarked at USS Saratoga:
LT William Sisko '31 (Scouting Squadron (VS) 3)
LT John Spiers '32 (Fighting Squadron (VF) 3)
LTjg George Nicol '34 (Scouting Squadron (VS) 3)
ENS Edward O'Hare '37 (Fighting Squadron (VF) 3)
ENS Keene Hammond '38 (USS Saratoga)
ENS Norman White '39 (USS Saratoga)
November 1940
Lieutenant Commander, Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida
Others at this command:
April 1941
Lieutenant Commander, Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida
Others at this command:
Class of 1924
Richard is one of 42 members of the Class of 1924 on Virtual Memorial Hall.