Henry_L_Moore

Henry Lincoln Moore was born in Georgia in the town of Ocilla on April 8, 1921. Henry graduated as valedictorian from Ocilla High School in 1940. Like many young people at that time he decided to go North to try to escape the segregation and poverty. The local white postmistress secretly said to him "Linc, there is nothing here in Georgia for you to do" In Ocilla Henry was know as Linc a contraction of his middle name Lincoln. As was the law at the time, Henry informed his local draft board that he was leaving Ocilla and headed north to Newark New Jersey to stay with a sister. Opportunities were not any better there for Henry. Though the defense industry was starting to boom, jobs for young black men were not available. Says Henry, "If you were an elevator operator or had a similar job it was thought that you were doing well. I worked as a waiter and a cook. There were no black Rosie the Riveters" He so detested the racism and segregation that he was considering going to Canada when he got the letter of greetings from his local draft board. It had not taken long for his name to be submitted after he left Ocilla. At Fort Dix New Jersey the bus load of draftees from Newark arrived on September 22 1942. By December 1942 Henry really wanted to fly. He had only a high school education and was told that black Aviation cadets had to have college training, even though white cadets could enter cadet training from High school if they passed the tests. Soon, the requirement was eased for blacks and Henry had the opportunity to apply for Aviation cadet training. His brother, Ben, had just been commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Field Artillery, and had completed Air cadet training at Tuskegee for observation pilots flying the Piper cub. Henry was the only black in a group of about 40 who took the test for Air Cadets and Lowery Field, Colorado. Time went on and he did not hear back from the test. The word was that the test was offered to blacks only to compile a list of candidates. It seemed them that with all of his attributes, that Henry would be stuck "For the duration of the war" in a black work battalion. Then came the opportunity to take the test for airplane mechanic training. This seemed to be an opportunity in the waiting! Henry took the test and passed. He was immediately put on orders to report to school for Airplane Mechanics. The staff welcomed 250 students, all black, from across the country to the base to form the 789th Technical School Squadron, (TSS). The students were taught all of the intricacies of aircraft systems: engines, propellers, electrical systems, vacuum systems, hydraulic systems, instruments, structures and airframes, even aircraft markings and identification. After graduation, half was sent directly to Tuskegee Army Airfield to bolster the maintenance staff there. Henry arrived with the other half in Detroit during the Summer of 1943, immediately following the city’s worst race riots. Shortly after arriving at Selfridge Field the 789th TSS graduates, all carrying the rank of Pfc, were assembled for assignments. They had already been assigned to squadrons but not to positions within the units. Henry was assigned to the 302nd Fighter Squadron where the adjutant was 2nd Lt. Punch, the first black officer he would serve under. Two "senior" enlisted men, Pfc Bill Harris and Pfc. Chester "Art" Burris, both blacks from the Tuskegee program were assigned to distribute the assignments.