Lynn David Moore was born in Ponca City, OK to Cecil and Marie Moore. As a boy, Lynn’s mother encouraged him to take dance lessons, which he often said contributed to his agile footwork on the football and lacrosse fields. In high school Lynn played halfback on the Ponca City High School Wildcats, culminating in the Wildcats placing second in the state, with Lynn earning All-Conference honors. Lynn did not plan to be a West Point cadet. In fact, Lynn came from a Navy family. His father and two of his uncles were Navy veterans. He applied to the Naval Academy. When an Army football recruiter came through Oklahoma City, Lynn’s cousin, Guy Mitchell, mentioned to the recruiter that Lynn was being recruited by Navy. The recruiter grabbed a rental car and directions to Ponca City. Lynn became a cadet.
At West Point, Lynn quickly acquired the nickname “Chief.” Whether it was because he came from Oklahoma and looked like an Indian, or as a result of the natural leadership qualities that made him captain of the Football Team and company commander of the B-3 Bandits, it will never be known for sure. As a running back and captain of the 1969 Army Football Team, Lynn rushed for 958 total yards with 208 of those yards on 40 carries in the Army 27–0 victory over Navy. For his performance in that game, Sports Illustrated magazine named Lynn Moore “Back of the Week.” He played in the College All-Star Game and the East–West Shrine Game. More than just a great football player, Lynn was an excellent defenseman on the Lacrosse Team and was renowned for not wearing the protective pads worn by most players. While in graduate school in Oklahoma, Lynn again proved his overall athletic skill by learning to play rugby with great success. Lynn received the Edgerton Award, the Thurston Hughes Memorial Award, the Ringsdorf Award and the prestigious Army Athletic Association Trophy, given to the Cadet First Class who rendered the most valuable service to athletics during his time at West Point.
As a cadet, Lynn was much more than a great athlete. He had a rich voice and sang in the Protestant Chapel Choir all four years. Although he went to bed long before taps every night, he was a good student and graduated in the upper half of the class. Unless you snored at night, all of Lynn’s roommates found him to be direct, yet modest and calm. If you snored, he threw a very accurate slipper at you to quiet the room. While electricity and computer programming were not his strong subjects at the Academy, he went on to get an advanced degree in English literature and returned to West Point for several years to teach English and composition.
Lieutenant Lynn Moore was in the last class with the opportunity to serve in Vietnam. He was operations officer for H Company, 75th Ranger Battalion. He was with the last Ranger Unit out of Vietnam. Upon his return to the States in 1974, the New York Giants football team invited Lynn to spring training. It was a difficult decision, and Lynn chose to make the Army his career. “There are more important things in life than football,” Lynn said in an interview with Stars and Stripes. Thus began a remarkable 29-year Army career, culminating in his retirement in 1999 as a full colonel.
Along the way, Colonel Moore became a certified pilot, jumpmaster and Army Ranger. He commanded a light infantry company, battalion and brigade, and was the deputy commander of the Army War College. Over the course of his career, Colonel Moore was awarded the Legion of Merit; the Bronze Star for actions in Vietnam, Rwanda and Panama; the Defense Meritorious Service Medal; the Air Medal; Joint Services Commendation Medal; the Army Commendation Medal; and the National Defense Service Medal.
In his retirement, Colonel Moore was an avid golfer and fisherman. He and Rita enjoyed the annual Class of 1970 Golf Tour and hosted the golf tour at their home in Arkansas, and again after they moved to Texas. He was such a dedicated golfer that he insisted on finishing a round of golf with classmates in the midst of Hurricane Penny in Texas. After golf, the awards dinner had to be cancelled when the highway patrol closed all the flooded streets leading to the event.
Even in retirement, Lynn remained committed to Army athletics. More than just football, he supported all teams and for years campaigned for the creation and funding of the MacArthur Cup, which recognizes the Army intercollegiate athletic team that best reflects championship-level performance. In 2020, his efforts resulted in the full endowment of the MacArthur Cup by the Class of 1970.
Those who knew Lynn truly understood his comments in an Army-Navy Game football interview: “If anyone asks me if I played football? Yes. Was Army any good back then? We shut out Navy in 1969. Were you any good? I helped shut out Navy. Did you do anything else? I didn’t need to.”
Lynn is survived by his wife, Rita; his daughter, Dr. Michelle Apotsos (Alex); and his grandchildren, Rowen and Will.
May it be said, “Well Done!” Be Thou at Peace, Lynn Moore.
— Your teammates and classmates