From BlackAnthem.com

ENCINO, CA - On December 1, 2007, Operation Gratitude presented the first annual NATIONAL FREEDOM AWARD as a tribute to American troops around the world who have freely sacrificed their own comfort and safety in order to serve our nation. The organization has chosen a true hero, retired United States Army Lieutenant General Hal Moore, is the award’s inaugural recipient. General Moore’s renowned career has been celebrated by many within the military community. Both on and off the battlefield, he has been an advocate and friend to American troops.

General Moore coauthored the New York Times #1 bestseller We Were Soldiers Once, And Young, the stirring, visceral account of his experience as a battalion commander in Vietnam. The book’s major motion picture adaptation, We Were Soldiers, hailed by many as “one of the best war movies ever made,” has made him a household name. General Moore will share the honor of this award with some special friends: cast members from the movie who will join him for a private reunion in Los Angeles and then attend the public ceremony at 12 Noon on December 1.

Operation Gratitude (www.operationgratitude.com) is the California-based 501 (c) (3) non-profit, all-volunteer organization that sends care packages of snacks, entertainment items, and personal letters of appreciation addressed to individually named U.S. Service Members deployed in hostile regions such as Iraq and Afghanistan, and on military ships at sea. Its mission is to lift morale, bring a smile to a service member’s face, and to express to all troops the appreciation and support of the American people. Since its inception in March 2003, Operation Gratitude has shipped more than 290,000 packages to American troops deployed overseas.