Lt Col Morris “Moose” Fontenot was born on November 7, 1972 in Houston, TX. After high school, Morris attended the New Mexico Military Institute for one year on a scholarship. He began his Air Force career in 1992 at the Air Force Academy to pursue his dream of becoming a pilot. While at the Academy, he met his future wife, Kara, where they were both member of the same Cadet Squadron. Both Morris and Kara graduated from the USAFA in 1996.
Morris attended pilot training at Laughlin AFB, TX and next reported to Tyndall AFB, FL to learn to fly the F-15C. His active duty assignments included stints at Mountain Home AFB, ID; Eglin AFB, FL; Elmendorf AFB, AK; Washington D.C. as a DOD Congressional Fellow and later as the USAF Chief of Fighter Programs at the Pentagon; Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan; and numerous deployments to the Middle East. He was consistently voted by his fellow squadron mates as the “top pilot” or “top instructor”. In 2014, Moose left active duty and joined the 104th Fighter Wing with the Massachusetts Air National Guard. He was a decorated combat veteran, earning the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, Aerial Achievement Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal, and Combat Readiness Medal, among others. Moose was a leader and widely respected for his willingness to help others. He was a Weapons School graduate, had more than 17 years of experience flying the F-15, logged more than 2,300 flight hours (240 of which were combat).
Moose was killed on August 27, 2014 when his F-15 crashed. He is survived by his wife, Kara, and two daughters. Kara attended a Survivors of Heroes Retreat in 2015.
Morris attended pilot training at Laughlin AFB, TX and next reported to Tyndall AFB, FL to learn to fly the F-15C. His active duty assignments included stints at Mountain Home AFB, ID; Eglin AFB, FL; Elmendorf AFB, AK; Washington D.C. as a DOD Congressional Fellow and later as the USAF Chief of Fighter Programs at the Pentagon; Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan; and numerous deployments to the Middle East. He was consistently voted by his fellow squadron mates as the “top pilot” or “top instructor”. In 2014, Moose left active duty and joined the 104th Fighter Wing with the Massachusetts Air National Guard. He was a decorated combat veteran, earning the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, Aerial Achievement Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal, and Combat Readiness Medal, among others. Moose was a leader and widely respected for his willingness to help others. He was a Weapons School graduate, had more than 17 years of experience flying the F-15, logged more than 2,300 flight hours (240 of which were combat).
Moose was killed on August 27, 2014 when his F-15 crashed. He is survived by his wife, Kara, and two daughters. Kara attended a Survivors of Heroes Retreat in 2015.