Dozens mourn POW at Air Force Academy service

A retired Air Force colonel and fighter pilot who had been a prisoner of war is being remembered by his family as an optimist who didn’t focus on his pain and suffering.

A memorial service for 89-year-old William Wallace Moore was held at the Air Force Academy’s Cadet Chapel on Friday, the 59th anniversary of his release from captivity. Moore died Sept. 8 at his home in Penrose.

Moore had flown 40 combat missions over Korea before he was captured on Nov. 28, 1950. During his captivity, he and others marched night after night in below-freezing temperatures. He was released 33 months later.

Moore retired in 1972 after 30 years of military service.