 On June 2, 1943, a day after graduating high school and a week after his 18th birthday, Moore was drafted into the United States military.Although he expressed interest in joining the Navy as Eubanks, Owens, and Moore's brother Charles were also in the branch, he did not have a college education (which was required for those entering the Navy) and a naval officer attempted to place him in the Marine Corps.Unhappy with this, Moore instead joined the Army.