Robin Moore
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Robin Moore | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 31 1925 Boston, Massachusetts |
| Died | February 21, 2008 (aged 82) Hopkinsville, Kentucky |
| Occupation | Author |
| Nationality | American |
| Genre | Fiction and non-fiction |
| Subject | Military, war, suspense |
Robert Lowell "Robin" Moore, Jr. (October 31 1925 - February 21 2008) was an American writer who is most known for his books The Green Berets, The French Connection: A True Account of Cops, Narcotics, and International Conspiracy and, with Xaviera Hollander and Yvonne Dunleavy, The Happy Hooker: My Own Story.
Moore also co-authored the lyrics for the "Ballad of the Green Berets", which was one of the major hit songs of 1966. The song was also featured in the film based on Moore's book which starred John Wayne.
Early life and career
Born in Boston, Moore was raised in Concord, Massachusetts, where he attended Middlesex School and Belmont Hill School.
During World War II he served as a nose gunner in the U.S. Army Air Corps, flying combat missions in the European Theater. For his outstanding service, he was awarded the Air Medal. Moore graduated from Harvard College in 1949, and one of his first jobs was working in television production and then at the Sheraton Hotel Company co-founded by his father, Robert Lowell Moore. While working in the hotel business in the Caribbean, he recorded the early days of Castro in the non-fiction book The Devil To Pay.
Thanks to connections with Harvard classmate Robert F. Kennedy, Moore was allowed access to the U.S. Army Special Forces to write about this elite unit of the United States Army. It was General William P. Yarborough who insisted that Moore would go through the "Q Course" to better understand why the US Army Special Forces are "special". He trained with the soldiers in airborne and special forces training for nearly a year, then accompanied them on deployment to Vietnam. His experiences formed the basis for The Green Berets, a bestseller that helped secure him international acclaim (see United States Army Special Forces in popular culture).
Another book, The Khaki Mafia, written with June Collins, gives a fictional account of the Vietnam service club scandal involving Sergeant Major of the Army William O. Wooldridge and others.
Later writings
During the 1970s and 1980s Moore travelled widely spending time in such places as Dubai, Iran, Rhodesia and Russia. Having gathered the information needed he wrote Dubai, Crippled Eagles (later published as The White Tribe) and The Moscow Connection. Due to political controversy, Crippled Eagles was rejected by publishers and did not appear until the early 1990s. He also wrote non-fiction books Rhodesia and Major Mike (with U.S. Army Major Mike Williams).
Afghanistan and book controversy
Moore travelled to Uzbekistan in December 2001 to research the CIA-Northern Alliance war against the Taliban and al-Qaeda, publishing the account in the bestseller The Hunt for Bin Laden. Shortly after publication, however, controversy arose over the veracity of the book, particularly regarding the involvement of Jack Idema. Idema, who was one of Moore's major sources, provided what later proved to be fabricated accounts of his exploits. In order to portray himself as having a greater role in the operation, Idema apparently went as far as to rewrite much of Moore's and Chris Thompson's text prior to publication. Special Forces soldiers who were on the mission (including those whom Moore interviewed) disputed Idema's claims.[1]
With Idema thus discredited, Moore eventually disavowed The Hunt for Bin Laden and the book remains out of print.[2] Despite the unfortunate fate of the book, Moore continues to enjoy the respect of the Special Forces community.[3]
In 2003, continuing his interest in writing about the war on terror, Moore traveled to Iraq to research Operation Iraqi Freedom and the downfall of the Saddam Hussein regime for his book, Hunting Down Saddam.He recently completed The Singleton: Target Cuba with Ret. USASF Major General Geoffrey Lambert, a novel about Fidel Castro and biological warfare.
Other works
- Moore is listed as "creator" of the comic strip Tales of the Green Beret
- He was the co-screenwriter for the film Inchon about the Inchon landing during the Korean War.[4]
- In Rhodesia, Moore co-founded 'The Crippled Eagles' club for expatriate Americans serving with the Rhodesian Security Forces.
Moore lived in Hopkinsville, Kentucky (home to Fort Campbell and the 5th Special Forces Group) with his British-born wife Helen (née Kirkman), where he was currently working on his memoirs and three other books.
A new edition of The Green Berets was due out in April and his latest book, Wars of the Green Berets, co-authored with Col. Mike 'Doc' Lennon, was released in June, 2007.
Honors
In recognition of his achievement in writing about the Special Forces, Moore was granted "Freedom of the City" by Hopkinsville Mayor Richard Liebe. [citation needed]
At the 2007 5th Special Forces Group Reunion Banquet Col. Chris Conner confirmed Moore as a lifelong member of 5th Group. At the same banquet Moore was made a Kentucky Colonel.
Death
Robin Moore died in Hopkinsville, Kentucky on February 21 2008, aged 82, following a long illness.
Following visitation at Lamb Funeral Home Robin was escorted by police and 5th Special Forces to Grace Episcopal Church for the funeral service. The Honorable Rudi Gresham was Master of Ceremonies. The Eulogy was given by Rudi Gresham who then called upon General Victor Hugo to speak followed by Major General Thomas R. Cscrnko followed by Robin's brother, John Moore. A Presidential citation was presented to Helen Moore by General Hugo. Prayers were read by SM Al Morace, Lacy Hamilton and Greg Edelston.
Full military honors were rendered immediately after the funeral.
[1]
Bibliography
- The Devil To Pay (ISBN 1-879915-02-2)
- The Green Berets (ISBN 0-312-98492-8)
- The French Connection: A True Account of Cops, Narcotics, and International Conspiracy (ISBN 1-59228-044-7)
- The Happy Hooker: My Own Story (ISBN 0-06-001416-4)
- Mafia Wife (with Barbara Fuca) (ISBN 0-02-586180-8)
References
- ^ Pelton, Robert Young (2006). Licensed to Kill: Hired Guns in the War on Terror. Random House. p. 243.
Though [the Special Forces soldiers] never met or talked to Idema, and despite the fact that almost ten members had carefully detailed their actions to Moore at K2, the first chapter puts forth an account of the team's infill into Afghanistan that the men tell me has been entirely fabricated.
{{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Blake, Mariah (2005-01). "Tin Soldier: An American Vigilante In Afghanistan, Using the Press for Profit and Glory". Columbia Journalism Review. Retrieved 2006-12-18.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Ghianni, Tim (2006-9-11). "Fighting soldiers, tender brothers". The Tennessean.
We're the only ones who understand what we do," says Steve Stone, referring to "The Brotherhood" of Green Berets, whether fresh from Iraq or weathered by Vietnam, who converge here. He nods to Moore. "And that's our icon sitting right there.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ "Robin Moore on imdb.com".
External links
- Website dedicated to Robin Moore maintained by Chapter 38 of the Special Forces Association