John Raymond Moore was born October 11, 1905 in Sharon, Tennessee. He was the son of Dr. Jesse Albert Moore and Buna Peal Lett Moore. He had a brother and a sister. Moore graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1929. He was married to Anne Gugert Moore and they had one daughter Laura A. Moore.

Called "Dinty" by his friends in the Navy to avoid confusion, because there were two John R. Moore's at the Naval Academy at the same time. He was a submarine Captain during WW2 and was awarded the Navy Cross (the Navy's second highest decoration for Valor) for his leadership of S-44 during three war patrols which including the sinking of the Japanese Heavy Cruiser Kako on the morning of August 10, 1942 in the Solomon Islands. The SS-44 was a World War I vintage submarine.

He later commanded the USS Sailfish (SS-192). He was placed on the Roll of Honor by Vice Admiral Charles A. Lockwood Jr. in May 1944. He was also awarded the Bronze Star Medal by Admiral Lockwood for Meritorious Service in 1945 as Engineer and Maintenance Officer of the Staff, Commander Submarine Forces, Pacific Fleet. He retired from the Navy in 1958 as a Rear Admiral.

After retirement, he moved to Birmingham, Alabama and was Vice President of the Hardy-Tynes Company. Admiral Moore passed away June 6, 1985 (age 79) and is buried in Arlington Memorial Park, Sandy Springs, Georgia.

This story of an Alabama hero was written by Steve Brannan, Meadowbrook, Alabama. If any reader has more accurate information on this hero, or has better pictures, please email me at sbrannan@bellsouth.net. I am happy to update this story.

Admiral John Raymond "Dinty" Moore