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Admiral Don P Moon

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cebudragonlady View Drop Down
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    Posted: 27 August 2005 at 2:19pm

I am in contact with veterans that served under Admiral Moon. If anyone has factual information about Moon's actions preparing for and during Exercise Tiger, I would like to know of it. At the time of the actual German attack, Moon was asleep in his cabin on the USS Bayfield some ten miles away from the attack and was not awakened at that time. After the tragedy, Moon was verbally chewed up and down by the Chief of Staff to Admiral Kirk- but that is all. The tragedy did shake Moon up, but he pulled himself together well enough to do a brilliant job in planning for the landing at Utah Beach at Normandy.

Jonathan P Alter
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Pioneer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 August 2005 at 11:28pm

Hello Jonathan

One of the problems when trying to understand the tragedy that befell 'Exercise Tiger' is recognising that the tragedy had two distinct phases. The most common of which only focuses on the E-Boat attack on the follow up convoy T4 (or T45, depending on what research you read). Admiral Donald P Moon may well have been in his bunk at 0200 but whether he was asleep can only be conjecture. During the earlier part of that day he had witnessed, along with Generals Bradley and Collins, the shelling of the beachhead at Slapton Sands. There had, on Admiral Moon's instruction, been an hours alteration to the time of the proposed landings which had not been communicated to all elements involved. That failure in, or lack of, communication, led to the 'friendly fire' onto the first wave of assault troops leading to many deaths of American troops. General Bradley called the whole incident "a complete shambles" and stormed off the USS Bayfield-that was before the E-boat attack. 

There have been several writings surrounding this tragedy, some wishing to blame certain individuals involved in the chain of command of both navies. Veterans themselves have differing views based upon their own experiences and no-one would wish to challenge those views, but what can be stated with some certainty however, is that a massive failure in basic 'communications' caused one of the most terrible of tragedies of WW2

Regards



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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cebudragonlady Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 August 2005 at 12:47am

One of my best buddies, was the Communications Officer on duty on the Bayfield during the watch 0000-0400  - and that is exactly what he said, a "communications failure" due to different frequencies.

But another veteran officer  , Moon's Air Photo Interpretation Officer tells me that he was ordered verbally by Moon that afternoon to go ashore and inform the British confidentilally in a staff meeting as to what was supposed to happen.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Pioneer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 August 2005 at 9:08am

Hello again Jonathan,

Your last paragraph illustrates how 'history' can be reported, leaving readers wishing for even more information. Unfortunately there can never be definitive answers for all the questions raised, as one mans interpretation will certainly lead to 'denials' by other equally qualified persons.

Apart from agreeing that 'communication failures' caused a major tragedy - it is also realised here - on this side of the Atlantic- that several years ago a certain Mr Kenneth Small brought a renewed awarness of this 'forgotten' episode. He was also astute enough to realise, early in his quest for 'due recognition', that it would be counterproductive, for his objective, to get into the 'blame him-them or whoever' mode. Any 'failures' by the leading personalities involved will certainly be commented on by future 'armchair critics'.

'Exercise Tiger' was one of several exercises taken in preparation for 'Operation Overlord'. That it became a success must be due, in part, to the tragedy that befell 'Tiger' and that was not just about the e-boat attack.  

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cebudragonlady Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 August 2005 at 3:18am

Agreed - that readers and researchers will be asking for more. Although the more definitive answers may be elusive, we readers and researchers still ask. It is what makes History fun.  And points out the importance of preserving memoirs/scrapbooks  of veterans and historical documents- so us later generations can learn from them.

The Chief of Staff to Moon was a Captain Rutledge Tompkins. The pastor who officiated at Tompkins' funeral in 1980 in Sedona, Arizona called Tompkins a ,man of peace who joined the Navy "to bring peace to the world"- and that commentary speaks volumes about our Greatest Generation.

 



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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Pioneer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 August 2005 at 12:56pm

Hello again Jonathan

I am now trying to get comfy in my 'armchair'.

Your term of-Greatest Generation-prompted me to dig out this well worn piece of furniture and the following are my own thoughts and in no way represent 'official' BMPT policy or viewpoint.

While I certainly recognise that the World War that began in 1936/1938/1939/1941 etc etc, (depending on your Nations viewpoint), led to great heriocs by many many countless, brave individuals, and that this direct threat to 'our' way of life would have to be won. I would think it agreed that War is a horrible and nasty business. That said- I think it follows- that to win War's, command structures of the Services involved ie, Army, Navy, Airforces, and all the other, not so well known, elements of the War machine- need special 'types' of individuals in positions of command. The nature of their profession make the truely successful candidates different to the normal peace-time loving population. The term 'The Glory of War' is nonsensical to, dare I say it, most people-but to a few it is completely understandable- and to that minority the burden of success and failure of War lies.

Conscription, however brutalises the 'normal' populace into being active participants, and it is among those innocents that truely courageous activities are hopefully remembered and recorded and to be recognised by future Generations.

There is a term ' You Cannot Ride with the Hare and Hounds'-very briefly my understanding of it means a decision has to be made of where you stand. In my opinion, only gained through reading several books and memoirs etc, Admiral Donald P Moon was a generous and gentle person but who was loath to delegate. He had a preponderance to hesitate until he thought all elements of any operation were just so!  General Collins's memoirs give credance to that opinion. The episode surrounding 'Exercise Tiger' I believe had a devastating effect on him- his little known attempt to rearrange the 'landing' times at a critical time at the Utah beachead was overuled by Collins (source Channel Firing by Nigel Lewis)-he was a gentle gentleman for who the strains of Command in this horrible business were having a devastating effect on his judgment.

Best Regards

Ted Else



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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Julie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 September 2005 at 7:26pm

Hi

 I thought it was well known that Admiral D Moon conmmited suicide during the latter stages of ww2 or is that a nasty myth?

julie

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cebudragonlady Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 September 2005 at 11:12pm

The just-released book, "My dear Moon" , edited by me and my colleague Daniel Crouch brings to light new evidence re the death of Moon. Given the Testimony of the Board of Inquiry, and the subsequently issued Death Certificate- the described physical evidence indicates the death was something other than suicide. Quite a number of questions regarding the location of the body, gun and wounds were left unanswered by the Board of Inquiry. Several potential keywitnesses were not called to testify.

Different theories abound. . In my opinion, too many web sites state 'suicide', and leave it at that- without explaining anything. This  book takes the reader to a higher level, to make the reader think about what really happened.

 

 

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Pioneer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 October 2005 at 12:45pm

Having now read the book "My Dear Moon", my original understanding and thoughts still remain that -  Admiral Moon's death was a tragedy that, with hindsight, can now be viewed as the result of the strains of Command. A War casualty, that today should be recognised with as much conviction and sympathy toward his surviving family, as if he had actually fallen on a field of battle.These are my opinions.

The 'evidence' portrayed in Chapter 10 of the book, suggesting that Admiral Moon may have been assassinated does not - again in my opinion - have credence for several reasons but just to state here - the planning and the actual landings on Southern France did take place, much to the original planning as when Admiral Moon was in full Command (an assassination which only would serve to remove an Admiral from his position may have been contemplated by the enemy - but for what purpose an Ally? as suggested!)

No! this Chapter of the bookbook is 'armchair' politics that are mischievous and in noway serve any purpose in my opinion, other than to add confusion to a very confused episode of the War.

Ted Else

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Julie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 October 2005 at 10:59pm

Hi

Its all very peculier, who did kill Moon then? Is it possible that the American Navy inquiry was rushed through for some reason? Why cant I get the book----very intrigueing

Julie

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