Glennon T. Moran

Glennon Timothy Moran (March 6, 1919 – September 3, 1986) was a brigadier general in the Missouri Air National Guard. During World War II, he was a flying ace credited with 13 aerial victories.

Early life Moran was born on 1919 in St. Louis, Missouri. In 1939, he graduated from Shurtleff College and Saint Louis University in 1941.

Military career In February 1942, Moran entered military service in the U.S. Army Signal Corps as a private. On July 31, he entered into the Aviation Cadet Program of the United States Army Air Forces and on March 25, 1943, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant and awarded his pilot wings at Craig Field in Alabama.

World War II

Moran being interviewed by war correspondent Virginia Irwin. Moran's interview can be read (here). In July 1943, Moran was assigned to the 487th Fighter Squadron of the 352nd Fighter Group at RAF Bodney in England. Flying the P-47 Thunderbolt, Moran shot down a Messerschmitt Bf 109 on February 24, 1944, his first aerial victory. In April 1944, the 352nd FG converted to North American P-51 Mustangs. On May 13, he was credited with the shared destruction of a twin-engine Junkers Ju 88 and on May 19, he shot down another Bf 109, his third aerial victory.

On May 27, 1944, Moran was part of flight escorting bombers over Strasbourg, France. During the escort, they encountered a formation of 75 Bf 109s and Focke-Wulf Fw 190s. Moran was attacked by a Bf 109 but managed to outrun, resulting the Bf 109 breaking away from chasing Moran. After noticing another Bf 109 firing at him from the behind, Moran performed a vertical renversement and managed to turn with the Bf 109. He then managed to shoot at the Bf 109, resulting in its pilot bailing out and the aircraft crashing. While climbing back to join the bombers, Moran noticed another Bf 109. After battling it for 20 minutes, Moran managed to shoot it down. By the end of the mission, he had downed two Bf 109s.

On May 29, 1944, while flying in the vicinity of Güstrow, Germany, he shot down a Fw 190 and two Bf 109s, with one of the Bf 109 being a shared destruction. On May 30, at vicinity of Uelzen, Germany. Moran and his flight encountered 20 enemy aircraft formation. Attacking them, Moran managed to damage a Fw 190 and down another Fw 190, resulting in the formation to be dispersed. He then spotted a Bf 109 attempting to land at an aerodrome. He dived and shot down the Bf 109. For his heroism in the mission, he was awarded the Silver Star and his total aerial victories bought to 9, making him a flying ace.

Moran downed three more enemy aircraft in June 1944. His 13th and final aerial victory was on August 5, 1944, when shot down a Bf 109 over Hamburg, Germany. During World War II, while flying 90 missions, Moran was credited with the destruction of 13 enemy aircraft in aerial combat plus two shared destructions, 3 damaged, and 3 destroyed on the ground while strafing enemy airfields. While serving with the 352nd FG, he flew a P-51 bearing the name "Miss Ann".

In 1962, while in active duty with the military, he unsuccessfully ran for Democratic Party nomination for the Missouri's 2nd congressional district. In 1965, Moran was appointed as liquor control supervisor by then Governor of Missouri Warren E. Hearnes. In 1966, he won the Democratic Party nomination for the election for Prosecuting Attorney of St. Louis County but was defeated by Republican Gene McNary in the general election.

Moran died of cancer on September 3, 1986, at the age of 67. Following his death, his body was donated to Washington University School of Medicine before being buried at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis County, Missouri on June 15, 1988.

Aerial victory credits SOURCES: Air Force Historical Study 85: USAF Credits for the Destruction of Enemy Aircraft, World War II

Awards and decorations His awards include:

Silver Star citation

Moran, Glennon T. First Lieutenant (Air Corps), U.S. Army Air Forces 487th Fighter Squadron, 352nd Fighter Group, Eighth Air Force Date of Action: May 30, 1944

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