Information below provided by

John Dowdy (#47791572) 4-10-2013

Gunner S/Sgt. Moses F. Tate DFC MIA/KIA

Hometown: Seneca, Kans

Squadron: 415 BS 98th Bomb Group

Service # 7060824

Awards: Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, Purple Heart

Pilot 1st/Lt. Edward T. McGuire DFC MIA/KIA

Target: White IV Ploesti

Missing Air Crew Report Details

USAAF MACR#:

Date Lost: 1-Aug-43

Serial Number: 42-40520

Aircraft Model B-24D

Aircraft Letter:M

Aircraft Name: YEN TU

Location: Lost near the target, Barcanesti Romania

Cause: Crew of 10 7MIA/KIA 3POW

Sgt. Tate lost his life in the Ploesti raid "Operation Tidal Wave" August 1st 1943. One of the most daring raids of WW2. Coming in at tree top level the 98TH BG destroy Romanian oil refineries. Sgt. Tate was awarded the Distinguished flying cross for his valor on this mission.

Flown by Lt. Edward T. McGuire and crew. Briefed to fly in the 5th and last wave attacking White IV. YEN TU was hit by flack on approach to the target and some of the crew were killed, after the target the pilots climbed to allow the remaining crew safe egress. Three gunners in the tail section bailed out successfully.

YEN TU is reported to have crashed in flames at Barcanesti ironically just a few miles away from BREWERY WAGON of Lt. John Palm. The bodies of the other 7 crew members were never recovered.

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U.S. Army Service No. (ASN): #7060824

Entered the Service from: Kansas

415th Bomber Squadron, 98th Bomber Group, Heavy

Awards: Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, Purple Heart

Moses M. Tate is listed under Finding Of Death in the 1946 Army and Army Air Forces Personnel Casualty List for Nemaha County, Kansas.

***I would like to thank MISTY Find A Grave ID 46634910 for adding her photo to this memorial***

***I would like to thank Al Skiff Find A Grave ID 49788721 for adding his photo to this memorial***

***I would like to thank Dayle DeBry Find A Grave ID 46583708 for adding their photo to this memorial***

***I would like to thank usafdo Find A Grave ID 48612389 for adding their photos and the bio note below to this memorial***

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced that U.S. Army Air Forces Staff Sergeant Moses F. Tate, 23, killed during World War II, was accounted for July 12, 2022.

In the summer of 1943, Tate was assigned to the 415th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 98th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 9th Air Force. On Aug. 1, 1943, the B-24 Liberator aircraft on which Tate was serving as a gunner (tail #42-40520) was hit by enemy anti-aircraft fire and crashed during Operation TIDAL WAVE, the largest bombing mission against the oil fields and refineries at Ploiesti, north of Bucharest, Romania. His remains were not identified following the war. The remains that could not be identified were buried as Unknowns in the Hero Section of the Civilian and Military Cemetery of Bolovan, Ploiesti, Prahova, Romania.