Shadow box

Mo immigrated from Portugal with his parents and siblings, two sisters and an older brother, Gabe, who was ten years Mo's senior, Mo was only three years old, and a rash had developed on his forehead; which might well have created a problem at then Ellis Island. His parents owned land in Portugal, groves producing grapes and olives; his father had come to the United States three years earlier, fluent in English, he got a job at Proctor and Gamble, and three years later, brought the whole family over here, having purchased CASH a three story home. Mo's mother would become a seamstress. The sisters helped her with home chores on Saturday, Mo went shopping with is father to carry the groceries. The older son Gabe? He became a Prisoner of War in WW II; five years.

Somehow, although in public schools, Mo decided he wanted to be an engineer! His father typically had planned well ahead; each of the daughters got a home for a wedding present; funds were also set aside for Mo's college. Mo wanted to go to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in upstate NY .. one of the most elite in the country .. and this was beyond his father's projection but off he went, they loaned him the difference and he repaid every dime before he bought a car after graduating with his BS in Aeronautical Engineering, having been president of his fraternity,commissioned 2d Lt from AFROTC. I was secretary to the Commanding officer of AFROTC , had prepared all his commissioning documents, but never met him; however, I got him!

Mo would compete Navigator/Bombardier Training at Mather AFB, "curve wrecker," and then McConnell at Wichita, and be assigned to Strategic Air Command, where he distinguished himself on the crew at Navigator/Bombardier, and they got a spot promotion accordingly, Mo to Captain within four years, AND a Regular Commission, AND assignment to The Air Force Institute of Technology, MS in Aerospace/Mechanical, thesis, "A Study of Manned Re-Entry from Hyperbolic Velocity." Again a "curve wrecker" (but it was the other wives who told me, not Mo!) He was requested for assignment to Minuteman, Re-Entry Systems, by General Schultz, he became Program Director and was promoted to Major overnight. He was the nicest person .. everyone loved him .. everyone cheered for him .. and he never changed .. he was always my "2d Lt." SAC was to have counted as "combat duty," five years, but Vietnam rang the bell, and he had to take a tour with other rated officers, and he said: "I am not a peacetime officer." He was to be reassigned to Minuteman then at Norton AFB, Space and Systems Missiles Division, now in Los Angeles, Los Angeles AFB, CA.

I sold our dream home, it was too sad for me in San Bernardino, I couldn't bear to drive by his office, and I purchased a home down here in Huntington Beach, very similar, our boys were 6 and 8 when he was killed. My world came to a close. But I couldn't forget what Mo would expect of me, and I complete my BA and subsequently my MBA. Now we have two fine sons, five granddaughters and a grandson. He was all about his sons.

So the thing that is so painful to me, is that all he achieved, how modest he always was, his achievements were rather remarkable, Major within ten years, and he never changed. But all that is seemingly "erased," with "killed in Vietnam." He was proud to serve. But I saw picture, and I have one identical; I was so frightened. I made him do "push-ups," and he would tease as he was shaving and "counting...", in Vietnam, we wrote daily and exchanged extemporaneous tapes almost daily, and he would say, "Well, got to jump into my flight suit for another mission, I am buckling on my "gun and holster".

1) "Major Mo," was interred in Arlington:
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/usaf.htm ;
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/mlalves.htm
2) His resume: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 1953 thru Jun 1957, BS Aeronautical Engineering. President of his fraternity, Sigma Phi Epsilon, Commissioned 2d Lieutenant, USAF, from AFROTC. Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright Patersnon AFB, Dayton, Ohio, Spring 1964 thru 1966; MS Degree, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering; Thesis: "Study of Manned Vehicle Re-entry from Hyperbolic Velocity."

Alves, Moses Lopes, Maj