FORT BENNING, Ga. (Nov. 14, 2012) -- A year and a half after uncasing its colors at Harmony Church's Brave Rifles Field, the 194th Armored Brigade dedicated its headquarters facility Thursday, which sits beside the field, after Staff Sgt. William C. Moore.
Moore was killed in action in 2007 while helping save the lives of Soldiers in his section.
"One of the most important tasks of moving the Armor School from Fort Knox to the Maneuver Center of Excellence here at Fort Benning, was deciding who should be selected from all of our previous and current wars for the naming of these new facilities," said Col. Kevin MacWatters, the 194th Armored Brigade commander. "The long hours and diligent study of those leaders has really paid off -- and frankly, they got it right. From this day forward, our brigade headquarters will be known as Moore Hall. And the Soldiers and civilians that work here, and all of the Soldiers in training around us have a shining example of personal courage, loyalty, selfless service and duty."
1st Sgt. William Lillie was Moore's platoon sergeant at the time he was killed.
"Staff Sgt. William C. Moore loved serving his country and Army," Lillie said. "He loved being around Soldiers whether at Fort Bragg or in Iraq. Staff Sgt. Moore was also an exceptionally disciplined Soldier who always accomplished what was asked of him, and more."
Lillie said Moore was "a great combat leader" and the kind of NCO a person would want on their team. His legacy would live on through the stories of the Soldiers who knew him, he said.
"(Moore) was my senior scout, my friend and will always be my hero," Lillie said.
Moore's sister, Leanne Barbour, and other relatives including Moore's father, Ronnie Moore, a nephew, aunt and uncle came to the ceremony. Soldiers who knew Moore or were with Moore the day he was killed also attended.
"It's a huge honor," Barbour said about the headquarters named after her brother. "There are not many people that can say that they know somebody who has a building named after them."
Barbour said the experience was humbling "to receive a phone call saying that 'we're going to dedicate a building after your brother, let's put this together.'"
"He was a pretty awesome Soldier … and (this) let's his legacy live on," she said.
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194th Armored Brigade Headquarters building dedication photo
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