Victor Antoine Moitoret
DATE OF BIRTH: April 4, 1919
Victor Moitoret graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Class of 1941. He retired as a U.S. Navy Captain.

AWARDED FOR ACTIONS
DURING World War II
Service: Navy
Division: U.S.S. Princeton (CVL-23)
GENERAL ORDERS:
Commander 2d Carrier Task Force Pacific:  (January 15, 1945)

CITATION:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant Commander [then Lieutenant] Victor Antoine Moitoret, United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as Navigator on board the U.S.S. PRINCETON (CVL-23), operating against enemy Japanese forces off the Philippine Islands during the Second Battle of the Philippine Sea, 24 October 1944. When the PRINCETON sustained direct and damaging bomb hits inflicted by land-based Japanese planes during a bitterly-fought engagement, Lieutenant Commander Moitoret courageously remained on board for a period of seven hours, fighting fires, maintaining communication with other ships in the area, preserving confidential publications and obtaining all available lengths of fire hose for use where most needed. His inspiring leadership and heroic devotion to duty reflect the highest credit upon Lieutenant Commander Moitoret and the United States Naval Service.  

Found at: https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/56133

Navy Capt. Victor Moitoret from the April 2005 issue of International Hydrographic Review.

Fort Bayard National Cemetery

Santa Fe National Cemetery

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Grave marker image for (VICTOR MOITORET).

Rest easy.   Thank you for your service. 

Men like this are why we have our freedom today. Thank you sir!

Navy Capt. Victor Moitoret had two aircraft carriers shot out from under him during World War II. The Oakland, California native graduated from the Naval Academy in 1941 and was stationed aboard the USS Hornet (CV 8) as assistant navigator. After taking part in the Doolittle Raid, five weeks later he was aboard the Hornet when it sank during the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands. As officer of the deck that day, he was wearing a M1911 Colt pistol with holster and duty belt. He kept them while floating in the ocean for two and half hours before being rescued by the USS Pensacola (CL 24) The items are now in the Navy History and Heritage Command’s collection.
After returning to the US, Moitoret and 300 former Hornet Sailors were put on the pre-commissioning unit for the USS Princeton (CVL 23). The ship arrived at Pearl Harbor August 9, 1943 and soon was participating in strikes on the Japanese in the South Pacific.
October 24, 1944 the Princeton was off the coast of Luzon, supporting amphibious landings at Leyte in the Philippines. A single Japanese dive bomber was able to drop a 550lb bomb amidships, crashing through the flight and hanger decks, exploding in the galley. The explosion caused fires to rage on the hanger deck. It also knocked out electricity and most communications. At his battle station at the time, Moitoret took over signalman duties, communicating with ships assisting in firefighting. The ships included the USS Birmingham (CL 62), which had a similar hull as the Princeton. Nine Cleveland Class Cruisers were converted to the Independence Class Light Aircraft Carriers, including the Princeton. Moitoret thanked his Boy Scout training for learning semaphore. He stayed on duty for seven hours, until an explosion rocked the ship. The explosion ripped a piece of the deck up and hit Moitoret on the leg and above his left eye. The explosion also damaged three ships assisting the Princeton and spelled the end for the carrier. With blood loss taking its toll, Moitoret said he didn’t remember sending his last message “Abandoning ship. Rescue boats standby.” 
This time before boarding a rescue boat, people told him, he kissed the Princeton’s hull. For his actions that day, he was awarded the Purple Heart and Silver Star Medal. 
After the war, he stayed in the Navy, working in hydrography before becoming the head of the Photo and Graphics Section of Naval Intelligence at the Pentagon. He then returned to hydrography rising to Oceanographer of the Navy.
Retiring from the Navy he taught junior high school, earned a Master’s in Education, was a regent at a college, was a member of the Audubon Society, the America Legion and produced a newsletter, setting his own typeset for family and friends, called the Cemetery Rabbit. 
He died in 2005, three days before his son Alan. His brother, Felix served aboard the USS New Jersey (BB 62) and is interred at Tahoma National Cemetery. He died in January 2005. He was 81.
Capt. Victor Moitoret is interred at Fort Bayard National Cemetery, with his wife, Rowana, and son Alan. He was 85.


VICTOR ANTOINE MOITORET

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32.79720122, -108.15613408

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