LESTER MOAK

LESTER MOAK (Age 93)  Lt. Col., U.S. Air Force (Ret.)  
Born December 10, 1921, died March 5, 2015. Col. Moak, who lived in Chevy Chase, MD from 1955 until 2014, was born in Brooklyn, NY, where he resided until 1941. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps soon after Pearl Harbor was attacked. His pilot training was with the Southeast Command and after receiving his Pilot Wings and Commission, he was assigned as pilot of a B-25 bomber crew. He delivered his new plane and crew to India via South America, Ascension Island across central Africa and Arabia. On arrival in the China-Burma-India Theatre of Operations, he and his crew were assigned to the 83rd Squadron of the 12th Bomb Group (Med) of the 10th Air Force. After some missions with the Group, he was transferred to the Headquarters of the 10th Air Force as a staff pilot with a variety of missions including some in support of Lord Mountbatten's campaign to drive the Japanese from Burma. Finally, he was transferred to the US/British Headquarters of the China Theatre where he earned the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medals flying hazardous cargo and personnel flights over the Himalayan Mountains (known as the "Hump") which was critical to keeping Chang Kai-Shek and the Chinese Army in the war and tying down many Japanese troops that would otherwise be fighting our troops in the Pacific battles. As a reserve officer, he was recalled to active duty for two years during the Korean Emergency. After leaving active service, he moved his family to Chevy Chase where his three children attended school before their careers took them all to New York City. For the last 40 years he was engaged in real estate management in Bethesda MD, and Alexandria, VA. On his 92nd birthday December 2013 he moved to New York City to be close to family. Survivors include his son, Roger M. Moak of New York City; his daughter, Mindy Ellen Moak of New York City; his daughter, Nancy Jane Boyajy of Boston MA; grandson, Adam G. Boyajy of Boston and grandson, Evan Ross Boyajy of New York City. His adored wife of 63 years, Phoebe passed away in 2008. Services will be held in New York. Contributions in his memory may be made to Wounded Warrior Project or another Veteran's organization.