Section c, site 259 at the fort benning post cemetery, fort benning, ga, usa hals story began in. But you dont have to visit the memorial to learn from them. Cavalry, in the famous battle at ia drang, along with sergeant major basil plumley. Captain ramon tony nadal, 29, commanded alpha company. They were immediately surrounded by 2,000 north vietnamese soldiers. 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. Hal moore and his soldiers were jumping from helicopters in a clearing in the ia drang valley, vietnam. In this firstever, fully illustrated biography, we finally learn the. It was the first time united states ground troops fought the north vietnamese army nva in a major battle.
Hal moore, were dropped by helicopter into a small clearing in the ia drang valley. They have an obligation, a sacred duty, to remember those who fell in battle beside them all their days and to bear witness to the insanity that is war. Feb, 2017 general moore likened ia drang to the spanish civil war before world war ii. With a longerrange perspective, the battle of ia drang represented an encouraging development for hanoi. Moore was awarded the distinguished service cross for his valor at ia drang, and was later promoted to colonel. The story of the men who fought at ia drang was immortalized by lt.
Why did you and joe galloway decide to write we were soldiers once and young. General hal moore and joseph galloway in their book, we were soldiers onceand. Hal moore battle the nva in the major firefight against the north. Hal moore, told me that we had to return to vietnam and to the ia drang battlefields. At hals request, in lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the ia drang scholarship fund. An exclusive interview with the hero of the vietnam wars 1965 battle of the ia drang valley and coauthor of we were soldiers once and young 1. This is not the type of book that spends half of its words setting up the. Harold moore, were dropped into a small clearing in the ia drang valley. Encircled by enemy soldiers with no clear landing zone that would allow them to leave, moore managed to persevere despite being significantly outnumbered by north vietnamese army nva forces that would go on to defeat the. Moore s book about the exploits of his battalion in the battle of ia drang valley during the vietnam war cowritten with journalist joseph l. Nearly 42 years later, at the american veterans centers 10th annual conference, general moore, galloway, and several of their comrades gathered. In november 1965, the 1st battalion, 7th cavalry, led by lieutenant colonel harold g.
Hal moore, told me that we had to return to vietnam and to the ia drang. Isbn 9780394530284, a book which includes accounts by multiple soldiers who recounted the battle of ia drang television edit vietnam in hd nov. I was always outdoors and was probably wandering around in the early scottish winter happily unaware that 6,000 miles south east of me lt. Hal moore, one of the most admired american combat leaders of the last fifty years, has until now been best known to the public for being portrayed by mel gibson in the movie we were soldiers. Battlefield documentary highlighting the battle of ia drang, november 1965. Feb 22, 2020 battlefield documentary highlighting the battle of ia drang, november 1965. A soldier onceand always, their peasant soldiers had withstood the terrible hightech fire storm delivered against them by a superpower and had at least fought the americans to a draw. One of his platoons was quickly cut off by the enemy. Army fought a battle in the central highlands of vietnam that fundamentally changed the character of the war. Ltgr hal moore at the united states military academy at west point on 10 may 2010. General hal moore and joseph galloway in their book, we were soldiers onceand young, and later in the film starring mel gibson. 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.
Moore, then a lieutenant colonel, stepped off a huey helicopter and onto a footballfieldsized clearing in south vietnams ia drang valley. They were immediately surrounded by 2,000 north vietnamese. Moore usaret february, 1922 february 10, 2017 gravesite. We were soldiers once and young is a 1992 book by lt.
General moore wrote of the bloody 1965 battle in a bestselling book. General hal moore and sergeant major plumley general hal moore and sergeant major plumley at westpoint on may 10, 2010. R hal moore and ia drang valley veterans return to lz xray with former foes. He retired from the military as a lieutenant general in 1977. The commandants choice for 1993 was we were soldiers once. Hal moore interview at lz xray november 16,1965 they were young and bravemoore returns to ia drang valley 1993 17 leadership precepts, harold moore, lt gen, us army ret. 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. By their yardstick, a draw against such a powerful opponent was the equivalent of a victory. This battle had been fictionalized by hollywoods we were soldiers, based on a book written by lt. It focuses on the role of the first and second battalions of the 7th cavalry regiment in the battle of the ia drang valley, the united states first largeunit. When asked about the possibility of defeat in the ia drang battle, hal moore stated it never crossed my mind that we would be defeated.
In november 1965, some 450 men of the 1st battalion, 7th cavalry, under the command of lt. Ia drang the battle that changed the war in vietnam audiobook written by harold g. To communicate with families, survivors and other members of the 1st cavalry division that served in vietnam. It is hard to capture just how powerful and moving hal moore s account of the battle in the ia drang valley is. 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. Lz xray the battle that changed the war in vietnam. Hal moore is best known for the battle of ia drang, welldetailed in his 1992 book we were soldiers once and young, which was made into a movie in 2002, entitled we were soldiers. Moore was best known for his actions at the 1965 battle of ia drang, where he was a lieutenant colonel in command of the 1st battalion, 7th cavalry regiment, and whose efforts were chronicled in. Maple grove, minn magnum books createspace publishing, 2017 168 pages.
And always and millions of other books are available for instant access. General moore likened ia drang to the spanish civil war before world war ii. Moore led the 1st battalion, 7th cavalry of the 3rd brigade, 1st cavalry division airmobile in the weeklong battle of ia drang. The book was the basis for the 2002 film we were soldiers, in which plumley was played by actor sam elliott.
Hal moore, in leadership talks, would always passionately argue that a leaders task is to instill the will to win. While i have read countless books about various wars in my life, none have moved me quite in the same way that this book did. After a north vietnamese strike against the special forces camp at plei me, american forces deployed in an effort to destroy the attackers. In november 1965 i was twelveyearsold and had recently absconded from a training college for catholic priests. The battle of ia drang began in november 1965 when 450 men of the 1st battalion, 7th cavalry were dropped by helicopter into a small clearing in the ia drang valley. Remembering we were soldiers hero, hal moore foundation. He participated in the battle of ia drang in vietnam in 1965, under the command of lieutenant colonel hal moore, who praised plumley as an outstanding nco and leader in the 1992 book about this battle, we were soldiers once and young. Mar 25, 2018 on 14 november 1965, some 450 men of the 1st battalion, 7th cavalry, under the command of lt. The significance of the battle of ia drang vietnam war books.
Harold moore, whose vietnam heroism was depicted in. Joe, a journalist, came into the ia dranglz xray action. This is the story of the battle of ia drang and the first time united states. A battle that defined the new war of airmobile infantry, the air cavalry, as they came to be known. It is hard to capture just how powerful and moving hal moores account of the battle in the ia drang valley is. Moores book about the exploits of his battalion in the battle of ia drang valley during the vietnam war cowritten with journalist joseph l. Harold hal moore was a retired threestar army general, but he will forever be remembered for his courageous actions as the commanding officer of the 1st battalion, 7th cavalry in the battle of ia drang valley in november 1965. 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. Hal moore, dropped into the ia drang valley and soon engaged the enemy. Hal and joe established the fund in 1994 using proceeds from the book and speaking engagements with the purpose of supporting the education of the children. 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. Hal moore, army general memorialized in book and film we.
Hal moore, one of the most admired american combat leaders of the last fifty years. In november 1965, some 450 men of the first battalion, seventh cavalry, under the command of lt. The book was adapted into the 2002 film we were soldiers, which was filmed at forts benning and hunter liggett, depicting moore s command of 1st battalion, 7th cavalry, at fort benning and in the battle of ia drang. There is no such thing as closure for soldiers who have survived a war.
He is also founder of the national endowment for the public trust. Moore, hero of the vietnam war and author of the bestselling memoir of the battle at ia drang. 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. At the time, he was in command of the 1st battalion, 7th cavalry regiment. The commandants choice for 1993 is we were soldiers once. Hal and joe established the fund in 1994 using proceeds from the book and speaking engagements with the purpose of supporting the education of the children and grandchildren of the veterans of the ia drang battles.
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