Installation Renamings: The Story of Hal and Julia Moore

After more than 100 years under its old name, Fort Benning is now officially known as Fort Moore.

The Georgia Army post’s new name honors Lt. Gen. Hal Moore and his wife, Julia Compton Moore. Lt. Gen Moore was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for extraordinary heroism during the Battle of Ia Drang, the first large-scale battle between U.S. and Viet Cong troops. Mrs. Moore, meanwhile, pushed the Army to change how death notices are delivered to the families of fallen Soldiers.

Lt. Gen. Moore graduated from West Point in June 1945. He fought in both the Korean and Vietnam wars, serving as commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) during the latter conflict.

At Ia Drang, Lt. Gen Moore led his battalion through a three-day battle, starting the firefight from his helicopter while hovering in the landing zone. It was the first of several exposed positions he took to fire upon the enemy during the initial phase of the battle.

On the battle’s second day, the battalion found itself under fire by a three-pronged insurgent assault. By moving from position to position and accurately predicting insurgent attack plans, he was able to fend off the assault. His ability to quickly move men and firepower helped counter another enemy attack on the third day, ultimately leading the Viet Cong forces to withdraw despite having a greater number of troops.

Back in the United States, Mrs. Moore, horrified by the Army’s practice of having taxi drivers deliver death notices to families by telegram, began following the taxis to visit with and comfort the fallen Soldiers’ families, often personally attending funeral services. She successfully lobbied for the Army to change its policy to have uniformed Soldiers deliver the notices instead, a practice that continues to this day. She is also the namesake of the Julia Compton Moore Award, which was established in 2005 to recognize the outstanding contributions of military spouses.

Preparing the Fort Moore Exchange for the name change affected nearly every directorate, including IT, MD, FA, Corporate Communication and more.

“It is a great honor to be a part of this historic redesignation in recognition of these patriotic Americans’ incredible contributions,” said General Manager Stephanie Wilson. “The Moores’ story exemplifies not only the heroism of Lt. Gen. Moore on the battlefield but the importance of the work military spouses do back at home to comfort those in their times of need and push for much-needed change. We are honored to serve the next generation of heroes through the work we do supporting them through the goods and services provided by the Exchange.”