Whatever Cause We Have

Dan Moore joined the Marines to serve in Vietnam and contribute to the anticipated American victory over communism. After completing officer training and artillery school, he deployed as a forward observer with an infantry company. His letters home described day-to-day events and revealed a growing skepticism about the war. During the Battle of Hue City, Moore lost his assistant forward observer, soon followed by another close friend. Fighting to maintain equilibrium, he suppressed his critical views of the war, even after returning home to oversee Marine recruit training. His memoir unpacks his letters, his recollections of the war and 50 years of introspection.

Dan Moore served over four years of active duty and retired from the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve as a lieutenant colonel. Following graduate studies and attaining a doctorate in history from the University of Pennsylvania, he spent 33 years in the U.S. intelligence community. He lives in McLean, Virginia.

Dan Moore
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 263
Bibliographic Info: 43 photos, glossary, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2024
pISBN: 978-1-4766-9168-8
eISBN: 978-1-4766-5061-6
Imprint: McFarland

Preface and Acknowledgments 1
1. Generational Wars 7
2. Keep on Truckin’ 16
3. Welcome Aboard 42
4. Storm Clouds 76
5. No Holiday Cheer 108
6. Calm Before the Storm 127
7. Hue 149
8. Decompression and Reflection 180
9. Echo Battery in Action 193
10. Dead Man Walking 210
11. Coming Home 222
Epilogue: Aftermath and Return 230
Glossary 243
Recommended Reading 247
Index 249

“Moore’s book is well-organized and the writing fast-paced and tight.”—VVA Veteran