Why was Lieutenant General Moore considered to have been a great leader?

Answer 1

Not to be mis-understood, but for the reader (or student) to think about it for a minute. Many a man performed courageously in battle during the Vietnam War, and never received a medal for valor (was never recognized for it), a fact that is readily acknowledged by men like General H. Moore, and almost all combat veterans. In order to receive a citation for valor in battle the event MUST be witnessed (usually by an officer). Another words a lot of men were heros in a particular fight, but only the deeds that were "witnessed" were recommended for medals. As was said during a particular WWII battle in the Pacific Theater, "Uncommon Valor was a common virtue." And yet not every single man received a medal for valor.

Heres the part not to be misunderstood: Most men become famous because there was a book written about them (by themselves or others). Example: The famous frontier scout Kit Carson is famous for only one reason; its not what he did, but who witnessed it (who he knew, not what he knew). Carson worked for one of the most literate and adventurous frontiersman in US history, Captain John C. Fremont, US Army. Many a town is named "Fremont" and "Carson." Fremont made Carson famous by writing about him (Carson couldn't write).

General H. Moore wrote a book titled "We Were Soldiers Once...And Young." It was made into a movie starring Mel Gibson. That's fame!

Now for the good part. The story is 99.9% true and correct...and General (LTC at the time) Moore's battle was the first time that the US Army fought the North Viet Army (NVA) on a battalion sized scale. It was also the validation for the US Army's NEW "Airmobile Divisions" (the 1st Air Cav Div in this case). In addition the Ia Drang fight was the first massive use of the new "Mattel Toy" M16 jungle rifle (not a US rifle at the time). The engagement was considered a US Army victory; and for all of these stated reasons General Moore deserves the credit that he has received (the commander is responsible for everything his command succeeds in doing or fails to do). The 99.9% is because the film does not mention the nearly 200 GIs killed on the third day of the battle from Moore's sister battalion. Approximately 300 American fighting men died during that 3 day battle...and the film did not mention those other men. True, this was Moore's battalion and his initial engagement with the NVA...but those nearly 200 dead GIs from the other battalion should have received mention in the movie. More than likely this was Hollywoods doing, and not the Generals.