A General's Spiritual Journey

Book excerpt: "I just want to be with my God and family --- and my men throughout eternity." Millions were inspired by the stirring, visceral account of Lt. General Hal Moore’s Vietnam War experience, as told in the New York Times #1 bestseller We Were Soldiers Once… And Young. The major motion picture adaptation, We Were Soldiers, was hailed by many as "one of the best war movies ever made." But there is so much more to the story. What forces shaped the character of this great man, one who still calls each of his fallen soldiers by name, who inspires the respect and awe of both his enemies in war and his friends in life? In A General’s Spiritual Journey, Hal Moore opens his heart and soul about the role of faith through his many life experiences. The book is an evocative collection of his memories, as observed and recorded by his friend and "driver." From his childhood in Kentucky, through West Point, to the bloody battlefields of Korea and Vietnam, in business and family, and into his current days of writing, speaking, and living without his beloved wife, Julia, Hal Moore leaves little doubt as to what he has always valued most in his life – his God. "Hal Moore has redefined heroism; his physical courage, his abilities to train and lead even through danger and desperation are only the beginning of character. He believes a leader’s role is not limited to the battlefield alone: he believes that God has created us to aspire to a different kind of Manhood, a Manhood that extends respect, honor, and compassion to everyone touched by the fires of war: wives, children, parents, siblings, and even those we have met as enemies. His heart is great enough to make Family a matter of choice. I am privileged to call myself a member of Hal Moore’s Chosen Family, and I aspire to live up to that gift." Randall Wallace, director of We Were Soldiers Upon graduating from West Point, Hal Moore chose to spend several days of retreat at the Abby of Gethsemani in Kentucky, to prepare himself spiritually for the challenge of commanding troops in Vietnam. A General’s Spiritual Journey is filled with snapshots of the remarkable experiences that resulted from this attitude of consecration—his wartime decisions not to attack Buddhist temples, his reunion with former enemy commanders in Vietnam, the deep bond he formed with his We Were Soldiers family. This treatise is about the different journeys we all walk and the immeasurable influence that is possible for each person whose actions are determined by an unbending devotion to Christ.