Thomas Joseph Moore was born on the Fourth of July 1938 at Fort Mills Army Hospital, Corregidor, PI, the son of Edna Mae Langevin and Joseph C. Moore ’35. Tom was an early traveler for an Army brat since his Dad was transferred from Corregidor to Fort Totten, NY in 1939, then to West Point in early 1940. Tom began his primary education there but soon found the family traveling again in a series of moves (Hawaii, Saipan, Fort Bliss) that terminated at Norfolk, VA, where Tom finished 6th grade. While in Norfolk, Tom joined the Boy Scouts and started a lifelong affiliation with scouting. He achieved Eagle Scout during this time and attended the World Jamboree in Austria. Soon, it was time to travel again.
The Moore family packed up and headed for Salzburg, Austria, where Tom continued his scouting and started his football and basketball sports career. On returning to Fort Bliss, TX, Tom played football for Cathedral High School, where he made All-City at center. One more move (back to Fort Monroe, VA) saw Tom join the Virginia National Guard in March and graduate from high school in June of 1956. All those moves in his early life prepared Tom for the future he was about to enter. And he started into it immediately.
Tom went on active duty for the Virginia National Guard in the fall of 1956 in order to enter the West Point Prep School. His success in eventually entering the U.S. Military Academy allowed him to realize his lifelong dream. While a cadet at West Point, Tom sang in the Catholic Choir and was an ardent intramural participant, especially in water polo, lacrosse and football. He thoroughly enjoyed his time at West Point, making a number of friends that he valued his entire life.
As a cadet, Tom talked constantly about his “piping” talent, playing the bagpipes. Most of his friends thought he was emphasizing his Scottish heritage. In other words, no way was he a piper. So, one fall afternoon when all the cadets were either at corps squad practice, intramurals or on a Brown Boy tour, Tom marched through the barracks, piping at the top of his capabilities (which were lethal). In no time at all, he had a less-than-enthusiastic audience, until they saw who was generating the racket, and Tom finally had credibility as a piper. The pipes were returned to Tom the next day with no damage.
Following graduation, Tom went to Fort Sill, OK for basic officer training in Field Artillery and followed that with Airborne School at Fort Benning, GA. With the new year of 1963, Tom reported for his first duty assignment with the 82nd Airborne Divisional Artillery. He enjoyed his initial troop assignment, and September 1964 found Tom headed to Vietnam, where he was assigned as an advisor in Kien Hoa Province. He received the Combat Infantryman Badge for his actions during this tour. Coming out of RVN in the fall of 1965, Tom was sent to the Artillery Advanced Course. Once that was completed, he stayed on as an instructor at the Artillery School. That assignment was followed by a second unaccompanied tour, this one to Turkey. He returned from that assignment, resigned from active duty as a major and returned to civilian life.
Later that same year, 1970, Tom moved to Los Angeles, bought a condo, joined the California National Guard and, in less than a year, was hired by the Guard to work full time. He attended the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, KS, finished and took command of a field artillery battalion. In the spring of 1976, a Guard buddy introduced Tom to Barbara Barnes and lightning struck. By late fall they were engaged, and on December 18, 1976 Thomas Joseph Moore married Barbara Lee Barnes. Two best friends married for life.
Tom’s life was finally complete. He had a wonderful wife, he had a great military job as a battalion commander, and he had a full time job with the Guard that he loved. Tom and Barb began enjoying life in the Los Angeles area, even bringing out the bagpipes (and kilt). Tom’s next command was the 40th Division Support Command. He was promoted to colonel and held the position for five years. Upon his retirement in July 1990, Thomas J. Moore was promoted to honorary brigadier general.
Tom and Barbara lived, worked and retired in the LA area until 2004. They then settled in Flower Mound, TX with a full activity calendar centered on the church, the Boy Scouts and Tom’s penchant for Scottish music (and kilts). Extensive travel both in the United States and abroad was included each year. And they were happy. Always a great friend and classmate, Tom worked at re-establishing contact with those who hadn’t been heard from in years, His efforts worked in a number of instances; he even rented an RV to go out and contact some of them directly. And he always ended his comments with “Grip Hands.”
Tom Moore loved the Army. He was “in” the Army from the time he was born in Corregidor in 1938 until his retirement in 1990. We all loved the Army to some degree. Tom lived and breathed the Army his entire life. He was valued by everyone who knew him. Well Done, Tom. It was great knowing you. Be Thou at Peace.
— Wife and classmates