ROGER MOSCONE

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center - dark shirt -
Roger Moscone SEAL Team ONE
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Moscone - reunion 2000
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, By Franklin
W. Anderson
Roger Moscone was born in Quincy, Mass on 16 April l931, and
joined the Navy in l947 at the age of l7. One of his first assignments was on
the Battleship Mississippi. He was a Boatswain Mate and learned
everything within his grasp. He also
learned that he was cut out for bigger and better things and applied for
Underwater Demolition Team Training (UDTRA) in l958 and was part of Class
20.
Upon
Graduation from UDTRA, He was assigned to UDT-12. He served in many varied capacities in
UDT-12, mostly as the team cartographer.
On January 18, l965 he volunteered and reported for duty with SEAL Team ONE. Roger was later selected to be a part of
Detachment GOLF for
deployment to the RSSZ in Vietnam. This Detachment was on a trial basis and
they were told, “if they did not perform SEALs would no longer be required by COMNAVFORV”. Under the guidance of LT. Maynard Weyers the Detachment immediately conducted extensive
operations and were highly successful.
They also realized that they needed some fortified means of transportation. It was Roger who oversaw the refurbishing of
an LCM into the “Mighty Moe”. The
Mighty Moe was used for transportation, insertions and extractions of the
Squads. These operations were highly
successful, but on the l9th of August l966, one squad under the command of LT
Tom Truxall with Billy Machen
as Point man encountered an ambush.
Billy Machen, at the risk of his own life,
triggered the ambush saving the rest of the squad. The squad conducted a fierce firefight to
recover Billy’s body—Starting a tradition that no SEAL
is left behind. Roger carried Billy
back thru the Jungle to the LCM that was coxswained
by PO Rauch. For this action Roger received the Bronze
star.
Roger
was quickly becoming a legend among the sailors at Nha
Be. One sailor, Jim Dickson said, “ when I first met him he was wearing a black T shirt and
his biceps were larger than my thigh.
The men said that they needed somebody that big to keep the SEAL’S
shaped up.” Jim volunteered for duty on the Might Moe and was seriously wounded
when it was hit with Mortars and heavy bombardment. When Jim regained consciousness the first
thing he recalled was Roger standing over him working on him—He credits Roger
with saving his life. Roger was a mother hen for the men, always providing
encouragement and doing most of the cooking of the SEARATS, his favorite
ingredient was MEXI-PEP Hot
Sauce. His favorite saying during times
of stress was “How
Sweet It Is”.
Detachment
Golf paved the way for many SEALs to come, and
provided the infrastructure for future SEAL Operations. Roger and the group returned to the Strand and Roger
was assigned as the CMAA of SEAL Team ONE. He was instrumental indoctrinating the new
men reporting on board. He did not
mince words and told them that they should keep their ears and eyes open and
their mouths shut and if they were to survive in the Teams. Roger was highly instrumental in helping
with the instruction and training and was always a source of accurate
information and guidance to the men in the Teams. Roger made numerous deployments to Vietnam.
In
l970 Roger was advanced to CWO-1. Upon
making CWO-1 he had to transfer out of the Team and accepted a billet at Underwater Swim School, and later
served with SEAL Team TWO, and retired in l973 as a CWO-2. Roger was a very talented man and was
successful in any endeavor he under took.
He sold real estate, refurbished houses and later was an Able Bodied
Seaman for Exxon.
Roger
is survived by his much loved wife Sandra Rauch Moscone,
his step-daughter Brandi, three daughters and a son from his first marriage,
Michele, Christina, Teresa and son David, and four grandchildren Rachael, Ryan,
Halley and Gianna.
Roger
will be missed at the Reunions, as he was a fixture and a volunteer. However, we are sure that
there is a BIG REUNION up above and those Pearly Gates are wide open with a
party of his Teammates, as Roger did
like to Party.
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