MOORE HOWARD M

COL Howard M. Moore was a potential VHPA member who died after his tour in Vietnam on 12/07/2009 at the age of 89.3
Benbrook, TX
Date of Birth 08/30/1920
Served in the U.S. Army
Served in Vietnam with 145 CAB
This information was provided by Harold H. Brandt, Pat Richardson

More detail on this person: He enlisted in the Army in June 1942 and deployed with the 609th Artillery Battalion in the European theater, where he earned his first Air Medal. While serving as a commanding officer in Korea, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and the United Kingdom's Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry in action while withstanding an enemy assault which threatened to isolate the British Commonwealth Brigade. Other decorations and recognitions include Legion of Merit with three oak leaf clusters, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 22 oak leaf clusters and Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with silver star, and member of the Field Artillery Hall of Fame.

During Col. Moore's military career he held many command and staff positions including Commander, 101st Airborne Division Artillery, Vietnam; Director of Instruction, Fort Rucker, AL; commander, 145th Combat Aviation Battalion, Vietnam; personnel/administration and security officer, Fort Rucker, Ala.; instructor and supervisor of field artillery and missile gunnery; Commander, U.S. Army Primary Helicopter Center and School, Fort Wolters; and commander, U.S. Army technical assistance field teams, Iran.

After from the Army, he was Director of Training for Bell Helicopter International, Esfahan, Iran; and assistant to the president, Bell Helicopter International, Bedford, TX. Col. Moore continued his education while in the service, earning a bachelor of science degree and a master of science in international relations.

His first wife, Phyllis McBeth Moore, preceded him in death. He is survived by wife, Vera May Moore; son, Russell James Moore; stepson, Charles Johnson; stepdaughter, Amy Sims and husband, Tony; daughters-in-law, Shirley Moore and Jan Moore; six grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; and a host of friends.

Memorials: In lieu of flowers, the family wishes donations be made to the Army Aviation Association of America Scholarships Fund, 755 Main St., Suite 4D, Monroe, Conn. 06468.

Howard M. Moore, 89, passed away Monday, Dec. 7, 2009. Funeral: 2 p.m. Thursday at University Christian Church. Interment: 1 p.m. Friday in Fort Sill Cemetery in Fort Sill, Okla. Memorials: In lieu of flowers, the family wishes donations be made to the Army Aviation Association of America Scholarships Fund, 755 Main St., Suite 4D, Monroe, Conn. 06468.

Col. Moore was born Aug. 30, 1920 in Condon, Ore., to Roscoe and Cora Teague Moore. He interrupted his civilian education in June 1942 to enlist in the Army. His first deployment was with the 609th Artillery Battalion in the European theater, where he earned his first flying Air Medal. While serving as a commanding officer in Korea, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and the United Kingdom's Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry in action while withstanding an enemy assault on his position, which threatened to isolate the British Commonwealth Brigade. Other decorations and recognitions include Legion of Merit with three oak leaf clusters, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 22 oak leaf clusters and Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with silver star, and member of the Field Artillery Hall of Fame.

During Col. Moore's military career he held many command staff positions of high responsibility and authority, which included command 101st Airborne Division Artillery, Vietnam; director of instruction at Fort Rucker, Ala.; commander, 145th Combat Aviation Battalion, Vietnam; personnel/administration and security officer, Fort Rucker, Ala.; instructor and supervisor of field artillery and missile gunnery; commander, U.S. Army Primary Helicopter Center and School, Fort Wolters; and commander, U.S. Army technical assistance field teams, Iran.

Retiring from the Army, he became the director of training at Bell Helicopter International, Esfahan, Iran; and assistant to the president, Bell Helicopter International, responsible for all personnel activities supporting 3,500 employees in Bedford.

Col. Moore continued his education while in the service, earning a bachelor of science degree and a master of science in international relations. While in the military, he also studied nuclear weapons, rotary wing transition, instrument flying (fixed and rotary wing) and many other disciplines of flying.

To know the man is to love him. Lasting memories of the colonel are as a gallant soldier who served his country with distinction and valor and lived his personal life nobly. He will be sorely missed.

Howard was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Roy and Norman Moore; half brother, William Booher; son, Gregory Gordon Moore; and Howard's first wife, Phyllis McBeth Moore, mother of his sons.

Survivors: Wife, Vera May Moore; son, Russell James Moore; stepson, Charles Johnson; stepdaughter, Amy Sims and husband, Tony; daughters-in-law, Shirley Moore and Jan Moore; six grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; and a host of friends.

I had often wondered what had happened to COL Moore after I left Vietnam in 1971, returned to serve in the Pentagon for 6 more years and retired from the Army for a civilian career at the newly-created U.S. Department of Energy. I was saddened to learn, through your obituary of COL Moore, that he had passed away several years ago. After having served as DivArty S-1 and subsequently Asst. Chief of Staff of the 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile) in late 1969 and early 1970, I was fortunate to be selected for command of the 2d Battalion, 320th Artillery as a promotable Major. COL Moore literally took me under his wing, personally flew me around the area of operations, familiarized me with the terrain and taught me how to adjust artillery fire from an observation helicopter, something I had never before done, especially not in the difficult hills of Central Vietnam. I greatly valued and respected COL Moore as a mentor and I was sad to see him leave DivArty before I actually assumed command of my battalion. I wholeheartedly agree with the line in COL Moore's obituary that reads: "To know the man, was to love him."

From: Harold H. Brandt LTC, USA (Ret)

This information was last updated 05/18/2016

Please send additions or corrections to: HQ@vhpa.org VHPA Headquarters

Return to the Helicopter Pilot DAT name list

Return to VHPA web site

Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024


Copyright © 1998 - 2024 Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association