Hal moore s m1 helmet posted in steel and kevlar helmets. Nguyen huu an, the north vietnamese commander, stood in a circle in the. The new york times bestseller we were soldiers once. There is a detail that ltc hal moore mentioned in his book, we were soldiers and young, that is quite intriguing.
Mar 10, 20 general hal moore and sergeant major plumley at westpoint on may 10, 2010. Army investigating we were soldiers legend for inflating awards. Moore is remembered as the lieutenant colonel in command of the 1st battalion, 7th cavalry regiment, at the. Moores story began on february, 1922, when he was born in bardstown, kentucky into a modest household. Joe galloways hard duty eulogy for friend, hal moore. Harold moore, whose vietnam heroism was depicted in. The book was adapted into the 2002 film we were soldiers, which was filmed at forts benning and hunter liggett. Moore, gave a similar description of plumley, who was played by actor sam elliott. The battle of ia drang was fought november 1418, 1965, during the vietnam war 19551975 and was the first major engagement between the us army and the peoples army of vietnam pavn. Cavalry, in the famous battle at ia drang, along with sergeant major basil. The north vietnamese soldier that colonel harold moore s men captured in. May 27, 2008 hal moore served in the vietnam war from 196567. Army fought a battle in the central highlands of vietnam that fundamentally changed the character of the war. Full text and audio mp3 and video of movie we were soldiers lt.
Based on the book we were soldiers once and young 1992 by lieutenant general ret. He is coauthor of the book we were soldiers once and young as well as the book we are soldiers still, which will be published in august. I read the plumley biography when moore and plumley received the doughboy award quite a few years ago. Shuttle in the rest of his men from 14 miles to the rear on 16 huey. The commandants choice for 1993 is we were soldiers once. After a north vietnamese strike against the special forces camp at plei me, american forces deployed in an effort to destroy the attackers. General moore wrote of the bloody 1965 battle in a bestselling book, we. Found this short clip of hal moore when he was a brigade commander in vietnam. Hal moore, the american hero known for saving most of his men in the first major battle between the u.
Moore is a recipient of the distinguished service cross, which is the second highest military decoration of the united states army, and was the first of his west point class 1945 to be promoted to brigadier general, major general, and lieutenant general. My father, ltg hal moore, passed away two years ago on this day 10 february, three days shy of his 95th birthday. Undoubtedly, hal moore belongs to a select group of individuals who could lead in any environment. Because it is a collection of western generals experiences leading in combat. Hal moore of we were soldiers onceand young, which was made into a feature film in 2002, and the followon book, we are soldiers still. Hal moore, described by the army as a legendary combat leader, earned the distinguished service cross, the secondhighest award for valor, for his actions during. Lt col moore will arrive saigon 1 in morning to brief gen depuy. For the american olympic wrestler, see hal moore wrestler. Col moore, fighting on the ground with his men, is faced with three ongoing tasks to be accomplished simultaneously. We were soldiers once and young is a 1992 book by lt. February, 1922 february 10, 2017 was a united states army. Hal moore passed away and i downloaded this book and read it again on my kindle. Hal moore, army general memorialized in book and film we.
The purpose of this article is to not seek empathy but to use the occasion to reinforce a few beliefs that general moore held dear. General hal moore and joseph galloway in their book, we were soldiers onceand young, and later in the film starring mel gibson. After the war he returned to the us to work as an infantry tactics instructor, and also had a stint as a nato plans officer in norway. Galloway was adapted into a 2002 hollywood film in which moore was portrayed by actor mel gibson. A battle that defined the new war of airmobile infantry, the air cavalry, as they came to be known. Hal moore describes the details of both the korean and vietnam war and the issues with taking an objective.
Lieutenant colonel hal moore at the battle of ia drang in november 1965. Hal moore, were dropped by helicopter into a small clearing in the ia drang valley. Hal moore, the commander at the battle of ia drang in 1965 that led him to coauthor the book, we were soldiers once, and young, died friday at his home in auburn, ala. Dont try to answer questions that would better be directed to the battalion commander or gen. Moore rivals, it doesnt take a hero the book written by general norman schwarzkopf. Hal moore vouched for csm plumley when we were working on the books. He left bardstown at the age of seventeen without having graduated from high school, and moved to washington d. Retired general hal moore of we were soldiers died friday.
Every book has its own unique story as to its process of. Considered one of the top battlefield commanders in world history, lt. Stephen moore and their father, was a west point graduate. Hal moore and the 1st battalion, 7th cavalry regiment at lz xray as told by one of their own, col.
Colonel harold moore commanded the 1st battalion, 7th cavalry at the ia drang valleyone of the bloodiest battles of vietnam. This book is a word and picture history of harold gregory hal moore. It details not only hal moores career but also his tactical astuteness on the battlefield. Hal moore and joe galloway have captured the terror and exhilaration, the. They were immediately surrounded by 2,000 north vietnamese soldiers.
But that isnt the reason to read his remarkable book. He is also founder of the national endowment for the public trust. First boots on the ground depicts the 7th cavalry, 1st. The lz xray battle was depicted in the 2002 movie we were soldiers and is based on the book we were soldiers onceand young. According to the publisher on in the book hal moore opens his heart and soul about the role of faith through his many life experiences. Hal moore, a coauthor of we were soldiers once and young, died friday, feb. Ltc hal moore and the battle of the ia drang valley 1416. General hal moore and sergeant major plumley youtube. And hal moores markings capture six values that he pulled from their experiences to develop and inform his leadership style. Photo extracted from us army motion picture footage. Moore retired from the army as a 3 star general in 1977 with over. Moore is a retired lieutenant general in the united states army.
February, 1922 february 10, 2017 was a united states army lieutenant general and author. Moore is remembered as the lieutenant colonel in command of the 1st battalion, 7th cavalry regiment, at the battle of ia drang in 1965, during the vietnam war. Colonel then, the father of the air cavalry, so to speak. The battle was detailed in the 1992 bestseller we were soldiers once and young, coauthored by moore and made into the film we were soldiers in 2002, which starred mel gibson as moore. The battle of ia drang was said that it was the battle that changed the war in vietnam. In november 1965, some 450 men of the first battalion, seventh cavalry, under the command of lt. Joe galloway was a longtime war, military and foreign correspondent and is the coauthor with lt. Hal moore by mike guardia vietnam veterans of america.
Essay on we were soldiers once and young 778 words bartleby. General hal moore died at 94 late friday at his home in auburn, alabama. Hal moore, known for saving most of his men in the first major battle between the u. Hal moore was a legendary combat leader whose leadership principles and rules are explained using personal stories in his book, hal.
Moore, then a lieutenant colonel, showed exceptional courage and leadership as he. Moores book about the exploits of his battalion in the battle of ia drang valley during the vietnam war cowritten with journalist joseph l. Last saturday night i went to see a showing of the justreleased vietnam war epic, we were soldiers. The commandants choice for 1993 was we were soldiers once. He was awarded the distinguished service cross, the u.
Harold moore, heroic vietnam war commander moore, who died friday, was seen as a hero for his role in the first major land battle in vietnam. My method is to cite owen connellys book on war and leadership from the hal moore bookshelf. Three days later, only twoandahalf miles away, a sister battalion was chopped to pieces. Hal moore, who as a lieutenant colonel led units of the 7thcavalry regiment in the first major battle against the north vietnamese army at a place called the ia drang valley, died this week, two days before his 95th birthday. The purpose of this article is to not seek empathy but to use the occasion to reinforce a few beliefs that general moore. There is no such thing as closure for soldiers who have survived a war. At our first meeting in 1982 to map out the research that would consume a decade and result in the publication of we were soldiers onceand young, my coauthor and best friend, lt. But even more important than the medals that he won, was the respect his men had for him. Col moore addresses the 7th cavalry american rhetoric. This story is about hal moore, and, although it covers his entire military life, and then some, it is primarily about the ia drang valley, vietnam, november 1965. Mar 25, 2018 by the end of his career he was a highly decorated military officer. Moore, who died friday, was seen as a hero for his role in the first major land battle in vietnam. Feb, 2017 hal moore, an army lieutenant general whose leadership in one of the earliest and bloodiest battles of the vietnam war saved scores of lives and was memorialized in the book we were soldiers once. In november 1965, some 450 men of the 1st battalion, 7th cavalry, under the command of lt.
Galloway, it dramatizes the battle of ia drang on november 14, 1965. Joe galloways hard duty eulogy for friend, hal moore, of vietnam battle fame. They were immediately surrounded by 2,000 north vietnamese. This was the first major battle that involved us ground forces, ia drang saw the us suffer 96 killed and 121 wounded at xray and 155 killed and 124 this story is about hal moore, and, although it covers his entire military life, and then some, it is primarily about the ia drang valley, vietnam, november 1965. It is a detailed accou t of mot only what happened at the drop zone bit also the other drop zones and rendezvous points in the area. The book is an evocative collection of his memories, as observed and recorded by his friend and driver. Dec 06, 2007 in a general s spiritual journey, hal moore opens his heart and soul about the role of faith through his many life experiences. Senior lieutenant colonel nguyen huu an, of the peoples army of vietnam, and i were doing our best to kill each other. Nearly 42 years later, at the american veterans centers 10th annual conference, general moore, galloway, and several of their comrades gathered. Ltc hal moore and the battle of the ia drang valley 1416 november 1965 during november 1416, 1965, the 1st battalion, 7th cavalry regiment, 1st cavalry division of the u. Moore, whose fortitude saved most of his outnumbered battalion in 1965 in the first major battle between american and north vietnamese troops exploits immortalized in a book. Harold hal gregory moore, coauthor of the book we were soldiers once.
The history book is based on the vietnam war, which took place in 1965. Hal moore, commander of the 1st battalion, 7th cavalry, on the radio during the fight for lz xray in the ia drang valley of vietnam. Moore, whose fortitude saved most of his outnumbered battalion in 1965 in the first major battle between american and north vietnamese troops exploits immortalized in a book and a movie starring mel gibson died on friday at his home in auburn, ala. Three days later, only two and a half miles away, a sister battalion was chopped to pieces. He qualified as an airborne jumpmaster after wwii, and in the korean war he commanded a heavy mortar company as a captain. This association began many years earlier when he was crafting a biography on moore aptly titled hal moore. Wed been at it for 2 hours in the miserably hot, humid scrub jungle fringing a football fieldsized clearing in the remote ia drang valley of south vietnam. The story of the men who fought at ia drang was immortalized by lt. We were soldiers once and young we were soldiers once and young is a history book written by lt.
This book is the amazing feat of colonel hal moore and what was the first. Theres never been a noble war except in the history books and propaganda movies. We were soldiers is a 2002 american war film directed by randall wallace and starring mel gibson. Hal moore was a great soldier because he was a great leader. Vietnam war hero offers leadership lessons american profile. This detail is also recorded in the daily log of g3iffv, nhatrang on november 15. Hal moore, told me that we had to return to vietnam and to the ia drang battlefields.
Army investigating we were soldiers legend for inflating. This book is the amazing feat of colonel hal moore and what was the first helicopter insertion onto the battlefield. Hal moore established his place in military history in 1965 when he led his vastly outnumbered troops to prevail in the first major battle of the vietnam war. The lead author, hal moore, was a lieutenant colonel in the 1st calvary.
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