Basil L. Plumley

Basil L. Plumley
CSM(R) Basil Plumley at West Point, May 10, 2010
Born	(1920-01-01)January 1, 1920 Shady Spring, West Virginia
Died	October 10, 2012(2012-10-10) (aged 92)[1] Columbus, Georgia[2]
Spouse(s)	Deurice Plumley (c. 1949–2012; her death)[3]
Children	Debbie Kimble
Military career
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1942–1974
Rank	Command Sergeant Major
Unit	505th Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division 187th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division
Battles/wars	World War II Operation Husky Battle of Salerno Battle of Normandy Operation Market-Garden Korean War Pork Chop Hill Vietnam War Ia Drang Valley
Awards	40AD
Other work	Administrative worker at Martin Army Community Hospital (1975–1990)

Basil L. Plumley (January 1, 1920 – October 10, 2012^[1]) was a career soldier and airborne combat infantryman in the United States Army who eventually achieved the rank of Command Sergeant Major. He is most famous for his actions as Sergeant Major of the US Army's 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, at the Battle of Ia Drang (Vietnam, 1965). Lieutenant General Hal Moore, who, as a Lieutenant Colonel, was Plumley's battalion commander during the Battle of Ia Drang, praised Plumley as an outstanding NCO and leader in the 1992 book about this battle, We Were Soldiers Once...And Young. The book was the basis for the 2002 film We Were Soldiers, in which Plumley was played by actor Sam Elliott. Plumley was known affectionately by his soldiers as "Old Iron Jaw".

Military career

Plumley enlisted in the US Army as a private on March 31, 1942. He was a member of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, with which he made four combat jumps and was awarded multiple decorations. He was a member of the 320th Glider Field Artillery Bn. He confirms this during interviews conducted with author Phil Nordyke, who has written four books relating to the 82nd Airborne Division during World War II. Plumley went on to make one combat jump in Korea with the 187th Airborne Infantry Regiment. He retired as a Command Sergeant Major on December 31, 1974, having been awarded 28 different personal, unit, campaign and service awards and decorations (40 total) in almost 33 years of military service, spanning World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. After his retirement, he worked 15 more years for the Army as a civilian in administration at Martin Army Community Hospital and at various Troop Medical Clinics around Ft. Benning (Fort Benning, Georgia), retiring again in 1990.^[4]

Personal life

Plumley was born on January 1, 1920, in Shady Spring, West Virginia, the second son and fifth child of coal miner Clay Plumley (born 1879) and his wife Georgia (born c. 1895), both of West Virginian stock.^{[citation needed]} After two years of high-school, he worked as a chauffeur/driver before enlisting in the US Army on March 31, 1942. In 1948/49, Plumley married Deurice Dillon, who died on May 28, 2012, ending 63 years of marriage. Basil Plumley died of cancer after nine days in Columbus Hospice (Columbus, Georgia), on October 10, 2012. He is survived by his daughter, Debbie Kimble, a granddaughter, and two great-grandchildren.^[3]

In popular culture

Plumley was a prominent and central figure in the 1992 book We Were Soldiers Once...And Young by Lt. Gen Hal Moore and Joseph L. Galloway about the Battle of Ia Drang and was portrayed by actor Sam Elliot in the 2002 film adaption of the same name.

Awards and decorations

7th Cavalry Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia

		Combat Infantryman Badge (three awards)
		Master Combat Parachutist Badge with gold star (indicating 5 combat jumps)
		Vietnam Army Basic Parachutist Badge

		Silver Star with one Oak Leaf Cluster
		Legion of Merit
		Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster and Valor Device
		Purple Heart with three Oak Leaf Clusters
		Air Medal with one silver and three bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
		Army Commendation Medal
		Army Presidential Unit Citation with two Oak Leaf Clusters
		Army Good Conduct Medal (6 or 11 awards)
		American Defense Service Medal
		American Campaign Medal
		European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with Arrowhead device and 1 silver and 3 bronze campaign stars (to signify 8 campaigns and 4 combat jumps)
		World War II Victory Medal
		Army of Occupation Medal
		National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
		Korean Service Medal with Arrowhead device and three campaign stars
		Vietnam Service Medal with one silver and three bronze campaign stars
		Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
		French Croix de Guerre (for World War II service) (attachments unknown, but at least 1 bronze star)
		Belgian Croix de Guerre (for World War II service) (attachments unknown, but at least 1 bronze lion)
		Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Bronze Star
		Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
		Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with Palm
		United Nations Service Medal for Korea
		Vietnam Campaign Medal
		Republic of Korea War Service Medal
		Order of Saint Maurice Primicerius and Doughboy Award
		10 Service Stripes, indicating 30–32 years of service

See also

• Hal Moore
• Bruce Crandall
• Ed Freeman
• Rick Rescorla
• List of Korean War veterans who are recipients of the Bronze Star
• List of three time recipients of the CIB

References

• 1920 and 1930 US census for Raleigh County, West Virginia
• US Army enlistment records of World War II
• 7th U.S. Cavalry Regiment Association
• Moore, Harold G.; Galloway, Joseph L. (1994). We were soldiers once – and young; Ia Drang: the battle that changed the war in Vietnam (First British Edition ed.). Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1853105023.  Cite uses deprecated parameters (help)