Luna Isaac Mishoe - 2024 Inductee
Luna Isaac Mishoe


Luna Isaac Mishoe, longtime president of Delaware State College and a national leader in HBCU education, was one of a small number of Delawareans known to have served during World War II as a member of the Tuskegee Airmen. His service to our nation and to his adopted state of Delaware were exemplary.

First Lieutenant Mishoe was a Group Photographic Intelligence Officer with the 477th Composite Group.  This was a specialized role assigned to individuals with highly technical backgrounds and experience, for which Luna was exceptionally qualified after earning degrees in mathematics,  chemistry and physics prior to his enlistment in the military.

In 1946, he came to Delaware where he taught at Delaware State College.  In 1947 he went to Baltimore to chair the natural sciences department at Morgan State University and conduct research at the U.S. Army’s Aberdeen Proving Ground. He made a name for himself by creating mathematical methods for solving some of the problems faced by the United States in developing satellites.

Dr. Mishoe returned to Dover in 1960 to become president of Delaware State College, where he oversaw the overall growth and development of the University. In his 27 years as president of Delaware State College, he further distinguished himself among the leadership ranks of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

After his death, research on Dr. Mishoe’s military service resulted in his confirmation as a Documented Original Tuskegee Airman (DOTA) by the national office of Tuskegee Airmen, Inc.  With his validation as a DOTA, Dr. Mishoe’s family received a posthumous Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian recognition awarded by the U.S. Congress, awarded to all documented members of this illustrious group. The medal recognizes their “unique military record that inspired revolutionary reform in the Armed Forces”.