A 1941 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, ranking first in his class, Moody served as a staff officer with the Operations Division (OPD) of the War Department General Staff, in the China-Burma-India Theater, and with Central Pacific Base Command and the 7th Infantry Division on Okinawa.

He returned to West Point as an instructor in Chemical and Electrical Engineering, where he was promoted to first lieutenant on 15 June 1942, captain on 15 December 1942, and major on 4 January 1944.

He then returned to the United States, where he saw duty in Washington, D.C., with the Operations Division (OPD) of the War Department General Staff and in the China-Burma-India Theater.

On 15 August 1945, he became Assistant Chief of Staff (G-3) of the 7th Infantry Division, then also based on Okinawa, but which subsequently participated in the United States occupation of Korea after the war ended.

[1] The tour of command in Korea was cut short, and Moody returned to the United States for duty as the Military Assistant to Robert McNamara, the Secretary of Defense.

[1] Moody took up his new posting at the Camp Radcliff, in An Khe, Vietnam,[1] but on 19 March 1967, just a week after he arrived, he said he was not feeling well, and asked for a doctor to be sent to his quarters.

His body was returned to the United States, and he was buried in Arlington National Cemetery on 24 March 1967 with full military honors.