USS Indianapolis
Lt.Commander Kyle C Moore
I am in the Militaria Collectibles business and I'm fortunate enough to be able to be involved with our history, daily. While I enjoy all facets of the military collectible field, the medals awarded to our brave warriors and citizen soldiers has always has been the most interesting. Sometimes we can buy a medal with a name that has no story, before it's over, we have discovered his life's path.
This SOS, I think I bought one of the most comprehensive and poignant groups I have ever owned and I hope I can do his life journey. ..Justice.
Kyle Campbell Moore born 9 December 1908 in Knoxville, Tennessee ,son of Mr John T.Moore.He was a football MVP for two years Knoxville High School and city tennis champion for two years.He entered University of Tennessee as a pre-medical student but the Great Depression made it impossible to continue. He began a job as a city reporter for The Knoxville Journal.
He developed into a good reporter and outstanding photographer. He even became the southeastern representative for The New York Times and Hearst's International News Service.During this time as a reporter Moore met his future wife, Katherine Davis , a journalism student who would honor his life and not let him be forgotten.
Katherine Moore says her husband—“Kasey” to his shipmates—“was the most interesting man I’ve ever known. He was smart, talented, skilled, creative, industrious, generous, sensitive, a true Scot in many ways, unafraid, sincere, funny, and loving. He never lost a friend or forgave an enemy. He was an athlete, an avid sportsman, a crack shot, and gentle with his hunting dogs. He was a good father, a compassionate son, a wonderful husband, and a splendid naval officer.”
Navy Hymn
Eternal Father stong to save
Whose mighty arm can still the waves
O hear us as we pray to Thee
For those in peril on the sea.
Moore was commissioned a Lt. (jg) on 8 December 1941.He graduated from Midshipmen's School in July 1942 where he reported to the heavy crusier...USS Indiana. He and Katherine were married 23 July ,a week before he reported for duty aboard the cruiser in the Aleutians.
He received his Navy nickname "Kasey" and henceforth I will call him that.
He served three years aboard and turned down opportunities to take shore duty...Kasey loved his cruiser and had no plans leaving her.
Admiral Raymond Spruance ordered Kasey to serve as photographer and combat films with the Marine Corps from 1943 to December 1944...the USS Indianapolis was his usual Flagship.
He covered Tarawa, Kwajalein, Majuro, Eniwetok, Saipan,Tinian,Guam and Peleliu.During a showing of combat film footage taken by Kasey and his photographers, Sedivi Ph1c and Stavenger PhM3, they received a standing ovation.
In April 1943, Kasey was promoted to Lt.Commander and named officier-in-charge of the hull department (construction, repairs and damage control) .After a kamikaze attack in March 1945,he was able to repair the ship in time to get it to San Francisco to take aboard the components and uranium for the first atomic weapon, "Little Boy", which had been delivered to Tinian Island on 26 July,1945
Four days later,after a quick stop at Guam on the way to Leyte, the USS Indianapolis was torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-58 around midnight on 30 July,1945.Lt.Cdr.Moore was supervisor- of-the-watch on the bridge.He went below twice to survey the damage and also advised the Captain to abandon the ship.He was last seen below decks...waist deep in water trying to save his beloved ship.
He received his Navy nickname "Kasey" and henceforth I will call him that.
He served three years aboard and turned down opportunities to take shore duty...Kasey loved his cruiser and had no plans leaving her.
Admiral Raymond Spruance ordered Kasey to serve as photographer and combat films with the Marine Corps from 1943 to December 1944...the USS Indianapolis was his usual Flagship.
He covered Tarawa, Kwajalein, Majuro, Eniwetok, Saipan,Tinian,Guam and Peleliu.During a showing of combat film footage taken by Kasey and his photographers, Sedivi Ph1c and Stavenger PhM3, they received a standing ovation.
In April 1943, Kasey was promoted to Lt.Commander and named officier-in-charge of the hull department (construction, repairs and damage control) .After a kamikaze attack in March 1945,he was able to repair the ship in time to get it to San Francisco to take aboard the components and uranium for the first atomic weapon, "Little Boy", which had been delivered to Tinian Island on 26 July,1945
Four days later,after a quick stop at Guam on the way to Leyte, the USS Indianapolis was torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-58 around midnight on 30 July,1945.Lt.Cdr.Moore was supervisor- of-the-watch on the bridge.He went below twice to survey the damage and also advised the Captain to abandon the ship.He was last seen below decks...waist deep in water trying to save his beloved ship.
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Ph1c Sedivi relays this story to Mrs. Moore...
Mr. Moore was never afraid, he never went ashore for the Admiral and said "you go on, Sedivi, I'll wait in the jeep" lots of time I was the one waiting in the jeep. We were on Saipan walking in terrible tall grass where the Japanese had fox holes.Mr Moore was in the front and I was walking with some Marines...a Japanese officer with a samuri sword jumped up in front of us and Mr. Moore shot him. The captain asked for the sword, Admiral Spruance hated to see him promoted because now he has no photographer and won't add another to his staff.
Mr. Moore was never afraid, he never went ashore for the Admiral and said "you go on, Sedivi, I'll wait in the jeep" lots of time I was the one waiting in the jeep. We were on Saipan walking in terrible tall grass where the Japanese had fox holes.Mr Moore was in the front and I was walking with some Marines...a Japanese officer with a samuri sword jumped up in front of us and Mr. Moore shot him. The captain asked for the sword, Admiral Spruance hated to see him promoted because now he has no photographer and won't add another to his staff.
There is much more to this group and I've tried to highlight some of it.Katherine actually in 1984, penned a book to Kasey' daughter from a first marriage...it is quite compelling. It covers their three year War marriage, I will post a page she wrote that deals with the USS Indianapolis and the sinking.
Katherine wrote a book detailing an open portal to her and Kasey's "War" marriage
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A retrospective poem Katherine wrote...
Tears
Today
I chanced upon
A photograph
Of him
For whom my heart
Has scarcely
Ceased to cry
And now my tears
Have began anew
Because
He looks younger now
Than I.
-------K.D.M.
1958
Tears
Today
I chanced upon
A photograph
Of him
For whom my heart
Has scarcely
Ceased to cry
And now my tears
Have began anew
Because
He looks younger now
Than I.
-------K.D.M.
1958
The group of Lt.Commander Moore
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