Lieutenant General Harold G. "Hal" Moore US Army (Ret.), famous for his command of the 1st Battalion of the 7th Cavalry during the November 1965 battle of Ia Drang, has died at the age of 94.



A 1945 graduate of West Point, Moore was assigned occupation duty in Japan, before beginning his unusual career path in the exploration of battlefield air mobility. Moore commanded a company of 4.2-inch mortars in combat in Korea, and then continued with the experimentation with air mobility/air assault concepts using helicopter lift, which would place him in position to command 1/7th Cav of the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile).

Hal Moore served more than 32 years in the United States Army, retiring in 1977. For his actions on LZ X-Ray, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

Moore wrote, with correspondent Joseph Galloway, his account of the fight around LZ X-Ray in Ia Drang, We Were Soldiers Once, and Young. The book, published in 1992, quickly made its rounds in the circles of Company-grade and Field-grade combat arms leaders in both the US Army and US Marine Corps. The book was, of course, made into the movie We Were Soldiers, starring Mel Gibson as Moore, and Barry Pepper as Galloway, who was a witness/participant in the fight. Of the movie, Moore said it was one that Hollywood finally "got right".

Godspeed, sir. An honorable life of service. (URR here.)

*******************************************

Many thanks to reader Sean Walsh, who pointed out that Hal Moore retired as a Lieutenant General. Good gravy. Fixed.