Bryant Moore

Bryant Edward Moore
Born (1894-06-06)June 6, 1894
Ellsworth, Maine
Died February 24, 1951(1951-02-24) (aged 56)
near Yeoju County, South Korea[1]
Allegiance  United States of America
Service/branch United States Army
Rank Major general
Commands held Superintendent of the United States Military Academy
Battles/wars World War I
World War II
Korean War
Awards Distinguished Service Medal (3)
Silver Star (2)
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal

Bryant Edward Moore (June 6, 1894 – February 24, 1951) was a United States Army Major general who commanded the 8th Infantry Division during and after World War II, and the IX Corps in the Korean War. A K-8 school is named after him in Ellsworth, Maine.

Childhood and education

Moore was born in Ellsworth, Maine on June 6, 1894 to Nettie Haley Moore and Edward Grafton Moore. He had three siblings: John Leroy Moore, Margaret Moore Coolidge and James Moore. He graduated from Ellsworth High School and was educated at the Sorbonne in Paris, France and at the United States Military Academy in New York, where he graduated in the class of 1917.[2] His father ran and then later owned Moore's Pharmacy on the corner of Water Street and Main Street in Ellsworth. The family home was on State Street, located on the hill across from the First Congregational Church.

Personal life

Bryant Moore married the former Margaret "Peggy" King, also from Ellsworth, and they had two daughters, Margaret and Barbara.

Military service

Moore was well known for his diplomatic abilities as well as being fluent in French and an expert in military strategy and military science.[3]

In the early days of World War II, Col. Moore commanded the 164th Infantry Regiment on Guadalcanal. After promotion to general officer's rank, he later fought with the 104th Infantry Division as Assistant Division Commander under Terry de la Mesa Allen. He was later promoted again and commanded the 8th Infantry Division in Europe. Under his command, the division liberated the Neuengamme concentration camp. In the immediate post-war period, he commanded the occupation of Yugoslavia, holding Trieste, successfully keeping out Tito's troops.[4] From 1949 until 1951, Moore was superintendent of the United States Military Academy at West Point.[2] During the Korean War, under General Matthew Ridgway, he led the IX Corps in Operations Thunderbolt, Killer and Ripper.[5] It was during these operations that General Moore's helicopter crashed into the Han River near Yeoju. He died a few hours later from an apparent heart attack after having gotten help for the surviving pilot and crew, on February 24, 1951.[2] The account of his service to America was entered into the United States Congressional Record by Maine Senator Margaret Chase Smith. Moore was promoted to the rank of four-star general posthumously.

He was buried at the United States Military Academy at West Point on the Hudson River in New York, his body being one of the first to be repatriated to American soil during a war.[6]

See also

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History.
  1. 1 2 3 "Death on the Han". Time. 1951-03-05. Retrieved 2008-05-26.
  2. NARA-AAD records
  3. "Hot Curve". Time. 1947-09-29. Retrieved 2008-05-26.
  4. McGrath, John J. "The Korean War: Restoring the Balance". United States Army. Retrieved 2008-05-26.
  5. "Taps". Time. 1951-03-19. Retrieved 2008-05-26.
Military offices
Preceded by
Maxwell Taylor
Superintendents of the United States Military Academy
19491951
Succeeded by
Frederick Augustus Irving
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