ROBERT B. MOORE, MAJ, USMC

Robert Moore '36

Date of birth: May 18, 1914

Date of death: January 15, 1945

Age: 30

Lucky Bag

From the 1936 Lucky Bag:

Robert Brice Moore

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

"Bob"

Bob is an ideal product of a great four years at the Naval Academy. This Iowa lad shyly entered its portals with the first of '36's class. At the beginning, he was greatly bewildered by the many phases of the life; academics were a source of constant worry but athletics of various kinds gave him diversion from work. A few short years and the change was wondrous; he may have begun slowly academically but wound up with a flourish, jumping numbers each year. The subject of women is beyond the scope of this text but suffice it to say, Bob can tell tales by the hour of cruises and leaves. Bob's rich supply of humor, sometimes sharp and biting but never unkind, have attracted an ever widening circle of close friends.

Wrestling 4, 2, 1; Class Wrestling 3; Black N**; Company C.P.O.

Robert Brice Moore

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

"Bob"

Bob is an ideal product of a great four years at the Naval Academy. This Iowa lad shyly entered its portals with the first of '36's class. At the beginning, he was greatly bewildered by the many phases of the life; academics were a source of constant worry but athletics of various kinds gave him diversion from work. A few short years and the change was wondrous; he may have begun slowly academically but wound up with a flourish, jumping numbers each year. The subject of women is beyond the scope of this text but suffice it to say, Bob can tell tales by the hour of cruises and leaves. Bob's rich supply of humor, sometimes sharp and biting but never unkind, have attracted an ever widening circle of close friends.

Wrestling 4, 2, 1; Class Wrestling 3; Black N**; Company C.P.O.

Obituary

From Find A Grave:

Robert Brice Moore was commissioned a Marine 2nd Lieutenant June 1936 at the Basic School, Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Philadelphia, PA.
13 July 1936 assigned Recruit Depot Detachment, MB Parris Island SC. 25 March 1937 assigned Schools Detachment, MB Navy Yard, Philadelphia PA. 3 June 1937 assigned Sea School Detachment, MB Norfolk Navy Yard, VA. 3 July 1937 assigned MB Naval Operating Base, VA. 20 July 1938 assigned Headquarters Company, Mortar Platoon, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, Quantico VA. 4 June 1939 promoted to 1st Lieutenant.
21 May 1940 embarked SS President Garfield at San Francisco CA. 13 June 1940 debarked at Shanghai, China. Assigned Company Commander of D Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Marines. June 1941 assigned Headquarters Company, 4th Marines as Regimental Adjatent. 28 November 1941 embarked SS President Harrison Shanghai China. 1 December 1941 debarked Olongapo Naval Station, Philippines.
8 December 1941 - 6 May 1942 participated in combat operations at Olongapo Naval Station, Bataan Peninsula and Island of Corregidor. 27 December 1941 moved to fortified island of Corregidor.
7 January 1942 promoted to Captain with Date of Rank of 1 May 1941. 6 April 1942 awarded Silver Star for Heroism for actions on 24 March 1942. 6 May 1942 taken into Japanese captivity on Corregidor. 26 May 1942 at Cabantuan POW Camp.
October 1944 moved to Bilibid Prison Manila. 13 December 1944 moved on POW ship Oryoku Maru at Manila. 15 December 1944 survived sinking of Oryoku Maru in Subic Bay. 27 December 1944 moved on POW Ship Brazil Maru at San Fernando, La Union on Luzon. 15 January 1945 Died aboard Brazil Maru while transitting between Takao, Formosa and Moji, Japan. Remains committed to sea.
Posthumously promoted to Major.
Next of Kin: Wife, Mrs Doris F Moore, 1400 2nd Avenue East, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

He has a memory marker in Iowa.

Wartime Service

From 4th Marines history of Corregidor:

The end had come for the 4th Marines. Colonel Curtis ordered Captain Robert B. Moore to burn the 4th Marines Regimental colors.
Captain Moore took the colors in hand and left the headquarters. On return, with tears in his eyes, he reported that the burning had been carried out. Colonel Howard placed his face into his hands and wept, saying “My God and I had to be the first Marine officer ever to surrender a regiment.”

Robert was the 4th Marines R-1 staff officer.

Silver Star

From Hall of Valor:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star (Army Award) to Captain Robert Brice Moore (MCSN: 0-5292), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy while serving with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, FOURTH Marine Regiment, in action at Fort Mills during the defense of the Philippine Islands, on 24 March 1942. During the course of heavy bombing attacks by enemy planes on Fort Mills, one stick of bombs hit in James Ravine, and bomb fragments injured several men and set fire to an ammunition dump in the vicinity. Captain Moore, voluntarily and without regard for his personal safety, proceeded across open ground to help evacuate the wounded to an aid station. During this time, planes dropped more bombs in this area, and shells from the burning ammunition attack were exploding and projecting into the area. Captain Moore's gallant actions and selfless devotion to duty, without regard for his own life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service.
General Orders: Headquarters, Philippine Coast Artillery Command, General Orders No. 21 (April 6, 1942)
Action Date: March 24, 1942
Service: Marine Corps
Rank: Captain
Company: Headquarters & Headquarters Company
Regiment: 4th Marine Regiment

Prisoner of War Medal

From Hall of Valor:

Captain Robert Brice Moore (MCSN: 0-5292), United States Marine Corps, was captured by the Japanese after the fall of Corregidor, Philippine Islands, on 6 May 1942, and was held as a Prisoner of War until his death while still in captivity.
General Orders: NARA Database: Records of World War II Prisoners of War, created, 1942 - 1947
Action Date: May 6, 1942 - MIA in Captivity
Service: Marine Corps
Rank: Captain
Division: Prisoner of War (Philippine Islands)

Memorial Hall Error

Multiple sources, including his memory marker, have him listed as a Major; Memorial Hall has him as a Captain. Likely a posthumous promotion; the Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps of 1945 has Captain. Have been unable to locate 1946 edition of this document.

Navy Directories & Officer Registers

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.