Norman A. Moore Second World War correspondence

Collection — Box: WWII 21, Folder: 11, Folder: 1

Identifier: 2017-277-w-r

Staff Only

Content Description

This collection contains correspondence and other materials from Major Norman A. Moore, U.S. Army, during the Second World War. Included in the correspondence are one V-mail to his daughter Kay, and one letter written in the form of a diary describing his entire campaign after the censors ended. Also included is one postcard written in German, one ration book assigned to Catherine Moore, and one 8x10 black and white photograph of Maj. Moore.

Of particular note is the diary letter because it describes in detail the battles that Maj. Moore was involved in, the cities his battalion crossed or attacked, or even withdrew to, as well as casualties. This includes his involvement in the Battle of the Bulge, attacking the Ruhr Pocket, the Ardennes, and the push into Germany, as well as notice of 600,000-900,000 Germans surrendering in Italy just before the end of the war. The account also describes VE Day and the celebrations thereafter.

Dates

Creation: 1942 May 5 - 1945 May 20

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

There are no restrictions on the use of this material except where previously copyrighted material is concerned. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain all permissions.

Biographical / Historical

Major Norman Allen Moore, United States Army (10/23/1904 - 9/26/1967) was born in Liverpool, England and moved to Ford City, Pennsylvania when he was four or five years old. He served with Company C, 112th Infantry of the Pennsylvania National Guard when it was activated and trained at Camp Van Dorn, Mississippi, Camp Livingston, Louisiana, Camp Maxey, Texas and Fort Benning, Georgia. During the war he served with the 1st Army, 394th Infantry Regiment, 99th Infantry Division and commanded the 3rd Battalion through Europe from October 1944 until the end of the Second World War. According to Maj. Moore's own account, he landed in Swansea, Wales in October 1944 and then landed in La Havre, Normandy, France to take command of the 3rd BN. They reached the front lines at Losheimergraben, Belgium on November 12.

According to his account, December 16 saw their toughest fighting, which was the first day of the Battle of the Bulge, and they fell back and continued withdrawing for a few days until they decided to hold tight for six weeks until they were able to push the German assault back.

After a short trip to London, Maj. Moore returned and continued the battle into an attack on the Ruhr Pocket in Germany, eventually describing "practically no resistance" as they advanced into Germany. Maj. Moore continued to command the battalion as an occupation force immediately following VE Day. The 394th Infantry was inactivated in September 1945. Maj. Moore earned the Silver Star and Bronze Star with two Oak Leaf Clusters. He remained in the Army after the war and was assigned to Korea, Japan, the Pentagon, and Fort Sam Houston, Texas, retiring as a colonel from Fort Jackson, South Carolina on December 15, 1959. He passed away in San Antonio, Texas in 1967.

The ration book was assigned to his mother Catherine. She lived in Pennsylvania but Maj. Moore and his family, inferred by the address sent to his daughter Kay, lived in New Jersey. The diary letter is addressed to his wife Betty and Kay.