Hal Moore

Retired Lt. Gen. Harold G. “Hal” Moore, the American hero known for saving most of his men in the first major battle between the U.S. and North Vietnamese armies, has died. He was 94.

Joseph Galloway, who with Moore co-authored the book “We Were Soldiers Once ... and Young,” confirmed Saturday that Moore died late Friday in his sleep at his home in Auburn, Ala.

Galloway said Moore, his friend of 51 years, died two days shy of his 95th birthday.

“There’s something missing on this Earth now. We’ve lost a great warrior, a great soldier, a great human being and my best friend. They don’t make them like him anymore,” Galloway said.

Moore was best known for his actions at the 1965 Battle of Ia Drang, where he was a lieutenant colonel in command of the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment.

His actions were later reflected in the movie “We Were Soldiers” in which actor Mel Gibson portrayed Moore.

Galloway, a former war correspondent for United Press International, said Moore was “without question, one of the finest commanders I ever saw in action.”

Before serving in Vietnam, Moore graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point and then commanded a battalion in the newly formed air mobile 11th Air Assault Division at Fort Benning.

Born in Bardstown, Ky., he served in the U.S. military for 32 years.