Alfred Charles MOYLE -1942.Java

MOYLE, WOOD

Posted By: Andrew BROWN (email)
Date: 10/19/2010 at 13:08:36

Alfred Charles MOYLE

..Memorial services will be held Sunday January 18th (1946) at 10 AM in the Westgate (Iowa) Lutheran Church for Alfred C. Moyle Ph M 1/c of the U. S. Navy who has been listed as missing in action in action since March 1, 1942 in the Pacific(Battle of the Java Sea) and who has recently been declared dead(15DEC1945).

According to a letter received by his wife, Mrs. Louise Moyle of Westgate from the Secretary of the Navy MOYLE was serving(having been rescued from the LANGLEY) aboard the USS PECOS when the vessel was bombed by enemy planes and sank in the open sea south of Java.

“On March 1, 1942, all the survivors(including Moyle) of the (carrier) USS LANGLEY which had been sunk a few days previously as a result of enemy action were transferred to the (fleet oiler) PECOS. A few hours after while enroute to Freemantle, Australia the PECOS was attacked and sunk by carrier based enemy dive bombers” the letter explained a distress signal sent out by the PECOS was intercepted by the USS WHIPPLE which arrived on the scene to rescue 220 survivors who were in a mass of debris and oil.

While the rescue was in progress, a submarine detected in the immediate vicinity was attacked with depth charges by the WHIPPLE. The outcome of the attack was not known, the WHIPPLE continued to search the area and pick up scattered survivors before proceeding to Freemantle, Australia. It is regrettable that your husband was not amongst the survivors rescued by the WHIPPLE.

Moyle, 30 year old son of Mr. & Mrs. Charles Moyle of 518 4th St. S.W. enlisted in the Navy Dec. 12, 1935. His wife (Louise GUMN-MOYLE) resides in Westgate and a sister, Mrs. M. R. Hugson?, lives in Waterloo. ( Oelwein IA Daily Press 07JAN1946 )

(Notes):
..USS Langley had been bombed and severely damaged by Japanese aircraft on 27FEB1942 and scuttled by escorting destroyers about 75 miles south of Tjilatap, Java with survivors transferred to the USS Pecos.
..He was a Pharmacist’s Mate 1/c.

Burial:
Fort Snelling National Cemetery
Minneapolis, Hennepin County
Minnesota, USA
Plot: Section MA, Site 28-5

..12FEB1914/1915-01MAR1942
..s/o Charles MOYLE & Rena WOOD.
..Alfred MOYLE was also survived by son, Freddie Charles MOYLE.