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James Edward Moss, son of John
Willis and Amy Schutz Moss, was born on 15 Jul 1929 in El Paso, TX. His parents
were in their early forties when he was born, and he was an only child. Jim was
the sixth great-grandson of John Moss, the immigrant from England who was one of
the founding fathers of New Haven and Wallingford, CT, and the great-great
grandson of the third mayor of El Paso, TX, Solomon Charles Schutz, when that
area was a part of the “wild, wild, West.” The military was in Jim’s blood; his
father was in Company A, 1st Infantry, Army National Guard, at Camp Hagen,
Cardiff, AL, in 1908 during the coal miners' strike. His fifth great-grandfather
was COL John Bailey of the 2nd Massachusetts Regiment, who fought alongside GEN
George Washington throughout the Revolutionary War.
Jim was always very close to
his mother, who called him “Sunny Jim” because of his bright personality. His
mother taught piano, and his father owned a chicken ranch and had a regular job
at the El Paso Post Office. Jim was known for his intellect, and one of his
peers said of him that he was meticulous with his navigating skills and math
calculations. Jim graduated from Austin High School in El Paso, TX on 15 Jan
1947, was on the track team, and participated in the long jump and pole vault.
His classmate was Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, who wrote in his
yearbook that he would be the next Mr. Universe. After high school, he attended
Sewanee, University of
the South, in Tennessee for two years before receiving his
appointment to West Point. Then-Senator Lyndon Johnson assisted in his
admittance.
At West Point, Jim was always
one step ahead of the Academic and Tactical Departments. He was on the track and
gymnastics teams, getting a monogram in track and a letter in gymnastics. He was
also a cadet chapel acolyte and a member of the French, Ordnance, and Camera
Clubs. Jim’s roommate, Mike Drake, still speaks of Jim as a true Texan, in a
quiet sort of way. He remembers him as being “spoony” and a true friend.
Beginning in his Plebe year, Jim was determined to go into the Air Force; on
graduation that career choice became reality.
In 1957, while stationed at
Bergstrom AFB in Austin, TX, he met and married his first wife, Betty. During
their years together, he and Betty had three children, Georgia Elaine, Amy
Christine, and Paul Gordon. At Bergstrom, Jim was part of the 92nd Air Refueling
Squadron. He then was assigned to Castle AFB, Atwater, CA, for school. The
family next moved to Spokane, WA, where he was stationed at Fairchild AFB. Then
it was back to Atwater, where Jim was a KC-135 navigator. A newspaper clipping
shows “Capt. James E. Moss, an instructor navigator with the 4017th Combat Crew
Training Squadron, explaining the correct procedures of shooting stars in the
daytime with a sextant to CMSgt. William S. Hart, a boom operator assigned to
the 321st Air Refueling Squadron, Lockbourne AFB, OH.”
In 1968, Jim met and married
his second wife, Phyllis, with whom he was married for 39 years. At that time,
he was stationed at Castle AFB in Merced, CA. She earned a master’s degree and
worked for a number of governmental agencies. During their years together, Jim
was stationed at Fairchild AFB, Spokane, WA; Travis AFB, CA; and in Bismarck,
ND. Jim also was stationed in Thailand, with two tours in Viet Nam, and retired
in 1974 with 100% disability.
Jim had earned a master’s
degree from UCLA and taught math at Palomar College and at Camp Pendleton after
leaving active duty. In retirement, he and Phyllis enjoyed many hobbies. Jim was
a great reader and a collector of first editions, donating several hundred
volumes to the Carlsbad Library. He also collected autographs and had framed
autographs of Dickens, Thackeray, Conan Doyle, and Mark Twain. Jim also was very
fond of animals and was a member of the Zoological Society of San Diego. A
favorite hobby was woodworking, making tables and chairs in his shop, where he
enjoyed the fresh smell of sawdust. He also collected stamps.
Jim developed throat and mouth
cancer and survived on a liquid diet for over 14 years. Then he developed
prostate cancer in his last few years, and it spread to his kidneys and lungs.
He died on 2 May 2007 in Escondido, CA, and is interred at Ft. Rosecrans
National Cemetery on Point Loma, CA. Jim was a talented man and a great patriot.
He will be missed by his
family and friends. |
