WWII veteran to receive Flying Cross

TACOMA, Wash., Jan. 28 (UPI) -- An 87-year-old U.S. World War II veteran will receive the Distinguished Flying Cross for his heroic actions 65 years ago, U.S. Air Force officials say.

Joseph Moser has known since the 1990s that he would be honored with the medal, but this week the military was to officially present the award to the veteran at McChord Air Force Base in Pierce County, Wash., the Seattle Post-Intelligencer said.

Thursday's ceremony will recognize Moser's completion of a dangerous bombing mission over Germany on July 30, 1944.

Two weeks after the mission, Moser's plane was shot down and he was held as a prisoner of war at Germany's notorious Buchenwald concentration camp until late October 1944, the newspaper said.

Moser, whose war exploits have been told in the new book "A Fighter Pilot in Buchenwald: The Joe Moser Story," told the Post-Intelligencer finally receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross would be great.

"It still hasn't really sunk in -- it's quite an honor," he said.