Basil L. Plumley

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Basil L. Plumley
CSM(R) Basil L. Plumley at West Point 10 May 2010.JPG
Plumley at West Point in 2010
Born(1920-01-01)January 1, 1920
Shady Spring, West Virginia, U.S.
DiedOctober 10, 2012(2012-10-10) (aged 92)
Columbus, Georgia, U.S.
Buried
Service/branch United States Army
Years of service1942–1974
Rank Command Sergeant Major
Unit 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division
187th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division
7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division
Battles/wars World War II

Korean War

Vietnam War

Awards Silver Star
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal
Purple Heart (2)
Spouse(s)
Deurice Dillon
(m. 1949;died 2012)
Other workAdministrative worker at Martin Army Community Hospital (1975–1990)

Basil Leonard Plumley (January 1, 1920 – October 10, 2012) was an American soldier who served in the United States Army for over three decades, rising to the rank of Command Sergeant Major. As a combat veteran of World War II and the Vietnam War, he is most noted for his actions during the Battle of Ia Drang in Vietnam.

Contents

Early life

Plumley was born on January 1, 1920, in Shady Spring, West Virginia, the son of coal miner Clay H. Plumley and his wife Georgia B. Morton. After two years of high-school, he worked as a chauffeur before enlisting in the US Army on March 31, 1942.[ citation needed ]

Military career

Plumley enlisted in the United States Army as a Private on March 31, 1942. He was a gliderman of the 320th Glider Field Artillery Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division. He saw action during the Invasion of Normandy and Operation Market Garden.

Plumley participated in two glider assaults in the European Theater. His first was on June 6, 1944, during the Invasion of Normandy, and his second was for Operation Market Garden on Sept. 18, 1944. Plumley was shot in the hand the same day for which he received the Purple Heart and was awarded multiple decorations for his service in World War II.

During the Korean War, Plumley fought as the member of 187th Airborne Infantry Regiment.

He fought in Vietnam with the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment. He participated in the Battle of Ia Drang in Vietnam in 1965, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Hal Moore, who 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". Command Sergeant Major Basil Plumley served in the Republic of Korea between 1952 and 1953.

He retired as a Command Sergeant Major on December 31, 1974, having been awarded 28 different personal, unit, campaign and service awards and decorations in almost 33 years of military service, spanning World War II 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 medical clinics around Fort Benning, Georgia, retiring again in 1990. [1]

Personal life and death

In 1949, Plumley married Deurice Dillon. They were together for 63 years before Deurice died 2012. Plumley died of cancer in Columbus, Georgia, on October 10, 2012. [2] [3] He is survived by a daughter, a granddaughter, and two great-grandchildren. [4]

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 Elliott in the 2002 film adaption.

Awards and decorations

There have been disputes about the medals and decorations Plumley was entitled to wear. Brian Siddall, an independent researcher, alleged in 2015 that Plumley wore unauthorized combat and valor awards that exaggerated his wartime achievements. [5] [6] [7] The U.S. Army has stated that there is no evidence of a substantial error in the recording of Plumley's decorations and has noted that the personnel records of the army are commonly in error, especially during war time and prior to digital filing.

Comparison of Awards and Decorations of CSM Plumley
name of awardlisted on his DD 214 in 1974 [7] worn in 2010 at West Point [8] verifiable by memo of the Army 2015 [7] notes
Combat Infantryman Badge CIB2.png
(2nd award,
one star on top)
CIB3.gif
(3rd award,
two stars on top)
Combat Infantry Badge.svg
(1st award,
no star on top)
WW2 - Korea - Vietnam would be a CIB with 2 Stars.
Silver Star Medal with bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Silver Star ribbon.svg

(one oak leaf)
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Silver Star ribbon.svg

(one oak leaf)
Silver Star ribbon.svg
(no oak leaf)
Legion of Merit Legion of Merit ribbon.svg Legion of Merit ribbon.svg Legion of Merit ribbon.svg matching
Bronze Star Medal with "V" Device and bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Valor device.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze Star ribbon.svg

("V" Device, two oak leaf)
Valor device.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze Star ribbon.svg

("V" Device, one oak leaf)
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze Star ribbon.svg

(no "V" Device, one oak leaf)
Air Medal with numeral device or Oak Leaf Cluster Air Medal ribbon.svg Award numeral 7.png
(with numeral "7")
Silver oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Air Medal ribbon.svg

(eight oak leaf)
Air Medal ribbon.svg Award numeral 7.png
(with numeral "7")
Army Commendation Medal
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Army Commendation Medal ribbon.svg

(three oak leaf)
Army Commendation Medal ribbon.svg
(no oak leaf)
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Army Commendation Medal ribbon.svg

(three oak leaf)
Purple Heart with one Oak Leaf Cluster
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Purple Heart ribbon.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Purple Heart ribbon.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Purple Heart ribbon.svg
matching
Army Good Conduct Medal with good conduct loops Army Good Conduct Ribbon.jpg Gcl-08.png
(silver clasp and three loops = 8 awards)
Army Good Conduct Ribbon.jpg Gcl-06.png
(silver clasp and one loop = 6 awards)
Army Good Conduct Ribbon.jpg Gcl-08.png
(silver clasp and three loops = 8 awards)
American Defense Service Medal n/a American Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg n/aonly available for service between September 8, 1939, and December 7, 1941
American Campaign Medal American Campaign Medal ribbon.svg American Campaign Medal ribbon.svg American Campaign Medal ribbon.svg matching
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with Arrowhead device, silver and bronze campaign stars
Arrowhead device.svg
Silver-service-star-3d.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign ribbon.svg

(arrowhead, 1 silver star, 1 bronze star)
Arrowhead device.svg
Silver-service-star-3d.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign ribbon.svg

(arrowhead, 1 silver star, 2 bronze stars)
Arrowhead device.svg
Silver-service-star-3d.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign ribbon.svg

(arrowhead, 1 silver star, 1 bronze star)
World War II Victory Medal World War II Victory Medal ribbon.svg World War II Victory Medal ribbon.svg World War II Victory Medal ribbon.svg matching
Army of Occupation Medal with "Germany" clasp Army of Occupation ribbon.svg Army of Occupation ribbon.svg Army of Occupation ribbon.svg matching
National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star or bronze Oak Leave Cluster
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg

(bronze star)
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg

(bronze oak leaf)
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg

(bronze star)
Vietnam Service Medal with one silver and three bronze campaign stars
Silver-service-star-3d.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Vietnam Service Medal ribbon.svg

(1 silver star, 3 bronze stars)
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Vietnam Service Medal ribbon.svg

(3 bronze stars)
Silver-service-star-3d.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Vietnam Service Medal ribbon.svg

(1 silver star, 3 bronze stars)
Korea Defense Service Medal Korea Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg not worn Korea Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg awarded since February 2004 (retroactive to July 28, 1954)
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal ribbon.svg Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal ribbon.svg Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal ribbon.svg matching
French Croix de Guerre (for World War II service)unclear Croix de Guerre 1939-1945 ribbon.svg unclearnoted in the memo is "French Fourragère"
Belgian Croix de Guerre (for World War II service)unclear BEL Croix de Guerre 1944 ribbon.svg unclearnoted in the memo is "Belgian Fourragère"
Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Gold Star Vietnamese Gallantry Cross ribbon.svg 1 golden star.svg Vietnamese Gallantry Cross ribbon.svg 1 golden star.svg Vietnamese Gallantry Cross ribbon.svg 1 golden star.svg matching
Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal, second class Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal ribbon-Second Class.svg not worn Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal ribbon-Second Class.svg
Vietnam Campaign Medal with "1960–" device Vietnam Campaign Medal ribbon with 60- clasp.svg Vietnam Campaign Medal ribbon with 60- clasp.svg Vietnam Campaign Medal ribbon with 60- clasp.svg matching
Master Parachutist Badge US Army Airborne master parachutist badge.gif US Army Airborne master parachutist badge.gif US Army Airborne master parachutist badge.gif matching
Glider Badge USAAF - Glider Pilot 4.png not worn USAAF - Glider Pilot 4.png A Glider Badge is for Life
Netherlands Orange Lanyard no picturenot wornno picture
Republic of Vietnam Parachutist Badge with palm device (= Republic of Vietnam Master Parachutist Badge) ViPaBa.jpg WikiProject Scouting BSA Eagle Bronze Palm.svg ViPaBa.jpg WikiProject Scouting BSA Eagle Bronze Palm.svg ViPaBa.jpg WikiProject Scouting BSA Eagle Bronze Palm.svg matching
Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with Palm Gallantry Cross Unit Citation.png Gallantry Cross Unit Citation.png Gallantry Cross Unit Citation.png matching
Army Presidential Unit Citation with bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
United States Army and U.S. Air Force Presidential Unit Citation ribbon.svg

(1 oak leaf)
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
United States Army and U.S. Air Force Presidential Unit Citation ribbon.svg

(2 oak leaf)
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
United States Army and U.S. Air Force Presidential Unit Citation ribbon.svg

(1 oak leaf)
Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Honor Medal unit citation first class Civil Action Unit Citation.png not worn Civil Action Unit Citation.png

Awards and decorations (Army memo from 2015)

Combat Infantry Badge.svg Combat Infantryman Badge
Master Parachutist badge (United States).svg Master Parachutist Badge
USAAF - Glider Pilot 4.png Glider Badge
ViPaBa.jpg WikiProject Scouting BSA Eagle Bronze Palm.svg Vietnam Master Parachutist Badge
Silver Star Medal ribbon.svg Silver Star
Legion of Merit ribbon.svg Legion of Merit
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze Star ribbon.svg
Bronze Star Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Purple Heart ribbon.svg
Purple Heart with oak leaf cluster
Air Medal ribbon.svg Award numeral 7.png Air Medal with bronze award numeral 7
Army Commendation Medal ribbon.svg Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg Army Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
United States Army and U.S. Air Force Presidential Unit Citation ribbon.svg
Army Presidential Unit Citation with oak leaf cluster
Army Good Conduct Medal ribbon.svg Gcl-08.png Army Good Conduct Medal (8 awards)
American Campaign Medal ribbon.svg American Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign ribbon.svg Arrowhead device.svg Silver-service-star-3d.svg Bronze-service-star-3d-vector.svg European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with Arrowhead device, one silver and one bronze service stars
World War II Victory Medal ribbon.svg World War II Victory Medal
Army of Occupation ribbon.svg Army of Occupation Medal with "Germany" clasp
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg
National Defense Service Medal with service star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal ribbon.svg Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Vietnam Service Medal ribbon.svg Silver-service-star-3d.svg Bronze-service-star-3d-vector.svg Bronze-service-star-3d-vector.svg Bronze-service-star-3d-vector.svg Vietnam Service Medal with silver and three bronze service stars
Korea Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg Korea Defense Service Medal
Vietnamese Gallantry Cross ribbon.svg 1 golden star.svg Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Gold Star
Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal ribbon-Second Class.svg Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal, Second Class
Gallantry Cross Unit Citation.png Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation
Civil Action Unit Citation.png Vietnam Civil Actions Medal Unit Citation
Vietnam Campaign Medal ribbon with 60- clasp.svg Vietnam Campaign Medal

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References

  1. "Plumley, veteran of 3 wars, dies at age 92". CNN. Associated Press. October 11, 2012. Archived from the original on September 2, 2019. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
  2. Pitts, Fadell (October 10, 2012). "Retired CSM Basil Plumley dies, Fort Benning mourns loss". Columbus, GA: WTVM-TV. Archived from the original on October 13, 2012. Retrieved October 10, 2012.
  3. "Basil Plumley, veteran of 3 wars, featured in 'We Were Soldiers' movie, dies in Georgia". Fox News. Associated Press. October 10, 2012. Retrieved October 11, 2012.
  4. "Deurice Plumley Obituary". Columbus Ledger-Enquirer (by Legacy.com). May 29, 2012.
  5. Matthew Cox: Army Investigating 'We Were Soldiers' Legend for Inflating Awards, Military.com, 2018
  6. Brian Siddall: The Original Plumley Article, Airborne In Normandy, 2015
  7. 1 2 3 Army HR Memo about Awards and Decorations for CSM Plumley, Department of the Army, U.S. Army Human Resources Command, Awards and Decorations Branch, 2015
  8. File:CSM(R) Basil L. Plumley at West Point 10 May 2010.JPG