MOBLEY, JOSEPH SCOTT
Name: Joseph Scott Mobley Rank/Branch: United States Navy/O2 Unit: Date of Birth: 16 October 1941 Indianapolis IN Home City of Record: Manhattan Beach CA Date of Loss: 24 June 1968 Country of Loss: North Vietnam Loss Coordinates: 183700 North 1053900 East (Nghe An near Vinh) Status (in 1973): Returnee Category: Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: A6A Missions: Other Personnel in Incident: Nicholas Carpenter, remains returned 1989 Refno: 1214
Source: Compiled by P.O.W. NETWORK from one or more of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews.
REMARKS: 730314 RELEASED BY DRV
SOURCE: WE CAME HOME copyright 1977 Captain and Mrs. Frederic A Wyatt (USNR Ret), Barbara Powers Wyatt, Editor P.O.W. Publications, 10250 Moorpark St., Toluca Lake, CA 91602 Text is reproduced as found in the original publication (including date and spelling errors).
JOSEPH S. MOBLEY Lieutenant- United States Navy Shot Down: June 24, 1968 Released: March 14, 1973
I was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on October 16, 1941. I was baptized and served as an acolyte in the Episcopal Church, served as a page in the Indiana House of Representatives, and was active as a Cub Scout.
My family (mother, father, younger brother and myself moved to Manhattan Beach, California in 1951. There I attended elementary schools and graduated from Aviation High School in Redondo Beach in 1960 where I was a member of the cross country and track teams and president of the Letterman's Club.
After attending El Camino College for two years, I received an appointment to the Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, graduating in 1966. After Flight Officer training, I received my Wings and orders for Vietnam, leaving here in January 1968.
On June 24, 1968, while flying as a bombadier-navigator in an A6A Intruder based aboard the USS Enterprise, the plane was hit at low altitude by AAA near the North Vietnamese city of Vinh. I was flying with Lt. Nick Carpenter who is still listed as MIA. I was carried as MIA until August 1969 at which time the Navy received word that I was a prisoner in North Vietnam. This status I kept until I was released in March 1973.
My future plans at this time are to remain in the Navy and to continue my education.
Upon my arrival at NAS, Miramar on March 18, 1973, I spoke these words which I would like to again repeat: "It is a very emotional experience for a man to return to his country and his people after so many years of absence. There are no words which can express my feelings at this time, but I know you will understand if I simply say it's good to be home. God bless America and God bless all of you wonderful people."
Editor's Note: Although he suffered a broken leg upon shoot down, Lt. Mobley was tied, standing, to a pillar, was beaten, interrogated, displayed for public humiliation, and forced to dodge bricks and bamboo sticks for eight or nine hours. He was then put into a cell and after waiting many long agonizing hours for medical attention for his broken leg, he set the bone himself. Later his captors applied a splint. Months of solitary confinement and intermittent torture and interrogation sessions continued over the five years of his imprisonment. He is six foot one and during captivity his weight dropped to 120 pounds.
Joseph Mobley is a Rear Admiral in the United States Navy. He is stationed in Hawaii with his wife Mary.
Jun 30 08:38:41 1998 Subject: RADM Joe Mobley
FLAG OFFICER ANNOUNCEMENT Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen announced today that the President has nominated Rear Adm. Joseph S. Mobley, U.S. Navy, for appointment to the grade of vice admiral and assignment as commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet in Norfolk, Va. Mobley is currently serving as director for operations, J-3, U.S. Pacific Command, Honolulu, Hawaii. Mobley was born Oct. 16, 1941, Indianapolis, Ind.
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April 12, 2001
By JACK DORSEY April 12, 2001
The Norfolk Virginian-Pilot NORFOLK -- The nation's last active duty prisoner of war from Vietnam retires today, closing a chapter in America's history that saw nearly 600 U.S. service members endure years of torture and humiliation under atrocious conditions.
Vice Adm. Joseph Scott Mobley, commander of the Atlantic Fleet Naval Air Force for the past 2 1/2 years, will step down quietly in a ceremony at which he plans no lengthy goodbyes, or interviews and has asked for no keynote speaker.
In remarks to his staff last week, Mobley thanked them for their service to him over the years, wished them well and quickly said farewell.
The 59-year-old aviator has spent 35 years on active duty -- five as a POW. Although his official retirement date is May 1, he will be relieved of command in a 10 a.m. ceremony today aboard the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt.
Rear Adm. Michael D. Malone, formerly commanding officer of the carrier Enterprise and most recently commander of Carrier Group Eight, will succeed Mobley. Under a reorganization, the AIRLANT command will be headed by a two-star admiral, rather than the traditional three-star billet it has had for years. The Norfolk-based command from now on will answer to its former counterpart AIRPAC, headquartered in San Diego where a three-star admiral remains.
Mobley's first ship, the Enterprise, to which he has given all of his service-connected memorabilia, is docked at the Norfolk Naval Station across from the "TR." It was from the deck of the "Big E" that Mobley's A-6 Intruder flew on June 24, 1968, when it was shot down.
He was a bombardier/navigator at the time, with the rank of lieutenant junior grade and was assigned to Attack Squadron 35, making his first tour of duty after graduating from the Naval Academy in 1966.
Although he rarely discussed his prisoner of war status publicly, Mobley told a crowd awaiting his return to Miramar Naval Air Station, Calif., on March 18, 1973:
"It is a very emotional experience for a man to return to his country and his people after so many years of absence. There are no words which can express my feelings at this time, but I know you will understand if I simply say it's good to be home. God bless America." Little else has been gleamed from the Indianapolis native about his days in captivity.
He grew up with his parents and younger brother, serving as an acolyte in the Episcopal Church, was a page in the Indiana House of Representatives and was active in Cub Scouts.
The family moved to Manhattan Beach, Calif., in 1951 where Mobley attended elementary and high schools, graduating from Aviation High School in Redondo Beach in 1960 where he was a member of the cross country and track team and president of the Letterman's Club.
After attending El Camino College for two years, he entered the Naval Academy, graduating in 1966. He was selected for naval flight officer training, received his wings and orders for Vietnam in January 1968.
Six months later, his A-6A was hit at low altitude by anti-aircraft artillery near the North Vietnamese city of Vinh.
He was flying with Lt. Nick Carpenter who was listed as missing in action until his remains were found and returned home in 1989.
Mobley was listed as MIA until August 1969 when the Navy received word he was a POW.
Although he suffered a broken leg following the ejection from his aircraft, his captors tied him standing to a pillar where he was repeatedly beaten, interrogated, displayed for public humiliation and forced to dodge bricks and bamboo sticks for eight or nine hours, according to the book "We Came Home," by POW Publications.
He was then put into a cell, and after an agonizing wait for medical attention that never came, he set the broken bone in his leg himself.
Later his captors applied a splint.
Mobley spend most of his imprisonment in Hanoi, where months of solitary confinement and intermittent torture and interrogation sessions continued over his five years as a POW.
He dropped to 120 pounds on his six-foot one-inch frame.
He was quoted in the book "Honor Bound," about the Vietnam POWs, as saying that after the war he could still feel the effects of aspirin and smell a bar of Dial soap at 400 yards.
"He was a top resistor and did everything that was expected of an American soldier in a bad situation," said retired Navy Cmdr. George T. Coker of Virginia Beach, also a Vietnam-era POW.
"We are proud of his advancements and achievements. . . . This is a real milestone we sadly are taking note of," said Coker, also a former A-6 aviator who spent seven years in prison.
Upon Mobley's return to the United States, he let it be known he planned to remain in the Navy and continue his education.
Returning to flight duty after the war, he eventually commanded Attack Squadron 75, based at Oceana. As a captain in 1990, he commanded the carrier Saratoga, then based in Mayport, Fla.
While the Saratoga was on a deployment in the Mediterranean Sea on Dec. 24, 1990, 21 crew members drowned when a chartered ferry sank off Israel's northern port of Haifa. The ferry capsized shortly after midnight as it was carrying 102 sailors back to the ship from a Christmas shore leave.
The accident was the deadliest involving U.S. servicemen in Operation Desert Shield, a buildup of forces following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait.
Considered a gutsy naval officer, Mobley was known for standing up for his shipmates, regardless of the cost.
In 1993, while awaiting Senate confirmation for his promotion to flag rank, he came to Norfolk to testify before a Tailhook fact-finding panel on behalf of Cmdr. Robert E. Stumpf.
Stumpf, then commander of the Navy's elite Blue Angels team, was being investigated for what he knew about the infamous 1991 convention at which women were sexually harrassed.
Mobley joined witness after witness to tell the panel that Stumpf was innocent of any wrongdoing. He described Stumpf as one of the Navy's top aviators, destined for a carrier air wing command and even an admiral's rank someday.
"He's a real superstar," said Mobley. Stumpf, who led a flight of 70 warplanes over Iraq during Desert Storm, subsequently was forced into retirement.
Mobley was selected for flag rank in 1993, commanded Carrier Group Two and served additional duty as commander of the Naval Safety Center in Norfolk through May 1995. His prior post was as director for operations for the U.S. Pacific Command in Honolulu.
The highly decorated aviator holds the Legion of Merit with Combat "V" and four Gold Stars, the Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V" and one Gold Star, two Purple Heart Medals, four individual an= d seven strike/flight Air Medals and the POW Medal.
"I guess somebody had to be the final man," said retired Navy Capt. James A. Mulligan Jr., a POW for seven years after he was shot down in his A-4 Skyhawk in 1966.
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Last Vietnam POW Turns Over Command
By SONJA BARISIC .c The Associated Press
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) - Vice Adm. Joseph Mobley, the U.S. military's last Vietnam prisoner of war still on active duty, stepped down Thursday as commander of the Atlantic Fleet's Naval Air Force.
Mobley, 59, turned over command during a spare, 20-minute ceremony aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt. He will retire May 1 after 35 years in the service.
"I've had a great time in the Navy, seen so many places, done so many things," Mobley told the 400 invited guests.
He made no mention of his five years as a POW and refused all interview requests. Cmdr. Roxie Merritt, a Navy spokeswoman, said he is the last Vietnam POW on active duty in any branch of the U.S. military.
Mobley was on his first tour of duty when his A-6 Intruder was shot down over North Vietnam. He was captured and held in Hanoi from 1968 to 1973.
"I guess you could say it's the end of an era. He was a man of very hard times that came back and did hard jobs and did them well," said George Coker, 57, of Virginia Beach, a POW in Vietnam for six years at the same time as Mobley.
Mobley's many decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, Bronze Star Medal and two Purple Hearts.
Mobley was born in Indianapolis and grew up in Manhattan Beach, Calif. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1966.
As head of the Atlantic Fleet's Naval Air Force, he commanded more than 40,000 men and women who maintain and operate six aircraft carriers, 70 aircraft squadrons and 1,400 aircraft.
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