LTC Hal Moore in Ia Drang Leadership
Having been already familiar with the Hollywood portrayal of the battle at Ia Drang from the 2002 film We Were Soldiers starring Mel Gibson, through the annals of the book We Were Soldiers Once... and Young by Lt Gen Moore, my mind tended to correlate accordingly with the scenes and by default, structure them so. The Hollywood portrayal naturally gives the stark representation of a nearly fearless (at least highly cognitive and confident) and strong leader, while this may very well be accurate, Lt Gen Moore’s book reveals the more militarily based and relevant room for discussion on leadership attributes and lessons. LTC Moore along with his subordinate leadership was able to forge a successful encounter in the face of overwhelming enemy forces and all the while being the determinative of a new and innovative fashion of warfare as the first air calvary in combat thanks to the utilization and incorporation of the helicopter. A major lesson that should be taken from this book is the importance of self preparation through domain knowledge, and the critical importance of the planning stage within any operation or action, in life, or in the face of battle. LTC Moore was not only that of a calculated leader but also a leader who led from the front, putting his men before self at all times and truly harbored the concern for the lives of every soldier under his command. The impressively convincing speech given by Mel Gibson in the film portrays just that, promising that he, Moore, would be the first to be on the ground, and the last to leave once downrange. LTC Moore was true and impressive leader, who won and deserved the respect of every soldier that he lead.
LTC Moore conducted a series of studies on his own pertaining to the recent failures of the French within the Ia Drang area, along with the associated tactics that related to guerrilla warfare. Success always begins with preparation and planning. The Battle of Ia Drang was...