Shooting for the Moon: Dr. Luna Mishoe's Quiet Past

Dr. Mishoe's very name, Luna, has taken on a new, apropos meaning in light of facts that have recently surfaced regarding his accomplishments prior to his presidency at Delaware State College.

Evidently and unbeknownst to even his family, Dr. Mishoe was one of the original Tuskegee Airmen who served in the 99th Air Force squadron. His rank was that of 1st Lieutenant and his role was photographic intelligence and communications from 1942 until 1945.

Shortly after the war, we knew that Dr. Mishoe was hired as a mathematics and physics professor at DSC from 1946 until 1948. Thereafter he departed to join the Faculty of Morgan University, earn a doctorate from New York University, and conduct research at Oxford University. What was lesser known, however,was that Dr. Mishoe conducted research at the Aberdeen Proving Ground Ballistics Research Laboratory during summer recesses from Morgan between 1952 until 1957 and as a research consultant from 1957 until 1960. Dr. Mishoe contributed mathematical equations for missile launches and satellites.

Late last week I was processing a collection of press releases dated between 1955 and 1975 and came across this release affirming Dr. Mishoe's involvement in the early space program: "Dr. Luna I. Mishoe, President, Delaware State College has accepted an invitation from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Sunday January 31, at the John. F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida, for the Apollo 14 launching." 

To read more about Dr. Mishoe, view the university's official press release: https://www.desu.edu/news/2016/12/dr-luna-mishoe-honored-original-tuskegee-airmen 

To learn about the Aberdeen Proving Ground check out Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aberdeen_Proving_Ground 

written by Joy Scherry