Catholics in the Military: Lieutenant General Harold G. Moore (1922-2017)

Last updated on: January 21, 2019 at 6:19 am by Pat McNamara

Catholics in the Military: Lieutenant General Harold G. Moore (1922-2017) 2019-01-21T06:19:45-07:00 Pat McNamara

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

“All through my life, I’ve tried to keep in mind that our purpose is to try to qualify for life hereafter.”—General Hal Moore

One of the best books ever written about the Vietnam War, in my reading experience, has been We Were Soldiers Once… And Young (1992). Co-authored by Lieutenant General Harold G. (Hal) Moore (1922-2017) and journalist Joseph Galloway, it’s a first-hand account of the first full-scale battle between Vietnamese and American troops, a New York Times best-seller. Reviewer David Halberstam termed it a “stunning achievement… I read it and thought of The Red Badge of Courage, the highest compliment I can think of.”

It’s an inspiring story of heroism and grace under pressure in the worst conditions a human being can face. For over twenty-five years, it’s been on the Marine Corps Commandant’s reading list, which offers the following description:

This book is about a group of men [who] persevered, sacrificed themselves for their comrades, and never gave up. In November 1965, some 450 men of the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry, fought against 2,000 North Vietnamese soldiers in the Ia Drang Valley – one of the most savage and significant battles of the Vietnam War.

Lieutenant Colonel Moore commanded the First Battalion, later receiving the Distinguished Service Cross for his service in the week-long battle. A career Army Officer (West Point, Class of 1945), he had previously served in the Korean War. After Ia Drang, he went on to command a brigade and rose to the rank of Lieutenant General before retiring from the army in 1977. He and his wife Julia Compton Moore had five children, two of whom followed their father into the army.

Harold Gregory Moore, Jr., grew up in Bardstown, Kentucky, an early center of American Catholic life. Every morning, his father attended St. Joseph’s Proto-Cathedral, which his ancestors had helped build. Biographer Mike Guardia writes: “Life in the Moore household revolved around three tenets: hard work, loyalty to the family, and devotion to the Catholic faith.” Hal attended Catholic schools in Bardstown under the Sisters of Charity and later the Xaverian Brothers.

From an early age, Hal Moore wanted to be a soldier, and he fought hard to get into West Point. As a cadet, Moore derived his strength from daily Mass and his friendship with Monsignor George Murdock, rector of the Catholic chapel. Murdock “was so beloved.” writes Father Michael Morris, that General and Mrs. Dwight Eisenhower referred to the venerable prelate as ‘Our Monsignor.’” (Hal and his wife would name their youngest son David Murdock Moore.)

In March 2002, Paramount released the film We Were Soldiers, starring Mel Gibson as Moore (who appears briefly in the film). In one scene during the battle, Gibson as Colonel Moore prays over his wounded and dying. While Moore admitted he was too busy during the fight to formally pray, the scene nonetheless reflected the deep faith that sustained him throughout his military career. Later Moore would address this aspect of his life more directly in A General’s Spiritual Journey.

On February 10, 2017, General Moore passed away. His funeral Mass was held at St. Michael’s Church in Auburn, Alabama, where he had lived his last years. I‘d read that the General was a lifelong devout Catholic, and I wanted to find out more about that. Recently I had the chance to talk with the General’s daughter-in-law, Mrs. Teresa Molinari Moore. I asked what part his Catholicism played in his life. She replied, without hesitation: “It was huge.”

General Moore, she notes, received much of his strength throughout his life from daily Mass. (His favorite hymn, which was played at his funeral, was “How Great Thou Art.”) This was especially true after his wife of 55 years passed away from cancer in 2004. Toward the end of his life, she recalls, although his memory began to fail, he never forgot the prayers he learned from the Sisters of Charity. “I just want to make the cut,” he often said.

“He was our prayer warrior,” Mrs. Moore commented.

(*The above drawing of Colonel Moore in 1966 is by Pat McNamara.)

Catholics in the Military

Previous Post

January 11, 2019

"A Victorian Mother Teresa": Servant of God Elizabeth Prout (1820-1864)

Next Post

January 22, 2019 Who’s It Named For? Archbishop Thomas E. Molloy (1884-1956)

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category African-American Catholics Alabama Catholics American Catholic History American Catholic women American History Anniversaries Anti-Catholicism Arkansas Catholics Benedictines Bishops Blessed John Henry Newman Book Reviews Books Boston College Brooklyn churches Brothers California Catholics Capuchins Cardinals Carlo Carretto Carmelites Catholic authors Catholic Cemeteries Catholic Historians Catholic History in Less Than 5 Minutes Catholic musicians Catholic Poetry Catholic Press Catholic School Textbook Catholic University of America Catholic Worker Catholics and Music Catholics and Race Catholics in Politics Catholics in the American Revolution Catholics in the Military Catholics in the Movies Catholics in the South Catholics in the West Catholics on Stage Catjolic Women Catolic Poetry Charles de Foucauld Children's Masses Christian Brothers Christmas Church Reform Civil Rights Movement Civil War Colleges and universities Converts D.C. Catholics Deaf Catholics Dominicans. Dorothy Day English Catholics Florida Catholics Fordham University Franciscans French Catholics Georgetown University German Americans Good Shepherd Sisters Hispanic Catholics Historians and Archivists Holy Cross Fathers Holy Name Society Idaho Catholics Illinois Catholics Indian Wars Indiana Catholics Irish Americans Irish Catholicism Italian Americans Italian Catholics Jesuits Josephite Sisters Kentucky Catholics Know-Nothings Laetare Medal Recipients laity Liturgical Movement Maine Catholics Manhattan College Maryland Catholicism Michigan Catholics Middle Ages Minnesota Catholics Missionaries Mississippi Catholics Missouri Catholics Monasteries Montana Catholics Native Americans New England Catholicism New Jersey Catholics New York Catholics North American College Ohio Catholics Oratorians Oregon Catholics Parish Mission Parishes Passionists Pat McNamara's Books Paulists Pennsylvania Catholics Popes Presidents Priests Quotations Religious Orders Rhode Island Catholics Saints Salesians Seminarians Seminaries Sermons Servants of God Siisters of Charity Sisters of Mercy South Carolina Catholics Spanish-American War Sports St. Francis of Assiai St. John Henry Newman Suplicians Tennessee Catholics Texas Catholics The year in review Thomas Merton Throwback Thursday Photograph Trappists Uncategorized University of Notre Dame Video Presentations Vincentians Virginia Catholics Visitation Nuns Washington West Point West Virginia Catholics West Viriginia Catholics Wisconsin Catholicism Women Religious World War II

Select a Month December 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 April 2012 March 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

According to James, what should elders do for someone who is sick?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Lay hands on them Pray over them and anoint them with oil Fast for them Give them holy water