R.I.P. CSM Basil L. Plumley

[Bluerauder]

Just saw this in the December 2012 issue of “ARMY” magazine ….

:flag: Rest in Peace :flag:

Command Sergeant Major (CSM) Basil L. Plumley, USA Retired (1920-2012)

CSM Plumley passed away on 10 October 2012 in Columbus, GA. He was 92 years old. He was a veteran of World War II, Korea, and Vietnam and earned the Combat Infantryman’s Badge (CIB) during each of those conflicts. He was only 1 of 300 soldiers to earn the CIB with 2-stars (basic + 2 means in three different conflicts). He also held 27 awards and decorations including the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart. He joined the US Army in 1942 and retired in 1974. He made four combat jumps during WW II including one during the D-Day invasion of Normandy. He made another combat jump in Korea with the 187th Airborne Infantry Regiment. He also served two tours in Vietnam.

He is best remembered as the Command Sergeant Major of the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment (1/7 Cav) assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division (1CD) which fought off 2,000 North Vietnamese forces during the 3-day battle of the Ia Drang in 14-16 November 1965. Outnumbered by about 10-to-1, the events of this battle are documented in a book “We Were Soldiers Once …. And Young” by Joseph Galloway and in a 2002 movie “We Were Soldiers” starring Mel Gibson as LTC Hal Moore, the battalion commander. Actor Sam Elliott played the part of CSM Plumley.

Both Lieutenant General (Ret) Harold Moore and Sam Elliott attended the funeral services at the Infantry Center Chapel at Fort Benning, GA. An honor guard from the 7th Cav from Fort Hood, TX rendered honors for this fallen soldier. R.I.P. Command Sergeant Major Plumley.

During his lifetime, CSM Plumley did not share “war stories” or grant interviews. He was a true American hero.

[Curless]

R.I.P. to an honorable man...thank you for your service...

[SC Cheesehead]

R.I.P. to an honorable man...thank you for your service...


+1

A true hero.

[Bigdogjim]

R.I.P. So true of the great heros not to share "war stories".

Indeed a great man, shame you will see this National news.

God Bless :flag:

[Marauderman]

WOW!!--Just WOW! A total Hero in all the words describing his actions-----makes one wonder whay not the Medal of Honor with such a list of scraficies......one for sure to look up to---!!

[Bluerauder]

WOW!!--Just WOW! A total Hero in all the words describing his actions-----makes one wonder whay not the Medal of Honor with such a list of scraficies......one for sure to look up to---!!

The standards for the Medal of Honor are very high. Most are awarded Posthumously.

There were three (3) Medals of Honor awarded for that action at Landing Zone X-Ray ... 2LT Marm, CPT Freeman, and MAJ Crandall. It is notable that a civilian journalist Joe Galloway received the Bronze Star Medal with V-Device (for Valor) .... this is very unusual for a civilian to be awarded such a medal. Galloway wrote the book and documented the actions in photographs. His award was for saving soldiers during the heat of the battle. In the movie, Joe Galloway noted that "He was a Non-Combatant". CSM Plumley responded with "Ain't no such thing today" as the 2,000 enemy attacked.

"Notable awards

Second Lieutenant Walter Marm (later Colonel) received the Medal of Honor on February 15, 1967 for his actions during the 3-day battle at LZ X-Ray. His MOH citation recounts several examples of conspicuous gallantry, some despite being severely wounded.[13]

On July 16, 2001 and February 26, 2007, respectively, helicopter pilots Captain Ed Freeman (later Major) and Bruce Crandall (later Lieutenant Colonel) were each awarded the Medal of Honor for their numerous volunteer flights (14 and 22, respectively) in their unarmed Hueys[14] into LZ X-Ray while enemy fire was so heavy that medical evacuation helicopters refused to approach. With each flight, Crandall and Freeman delivered much needed water and ammunition and extracted wounded soldiers, saving countless lives.[15]

Sergeant Ernie Savage's precise placement of artillery throughout the siege of the "Lost Platoon" enabled the platoon to survive the long ordeal. For his "gallantry under relentless enemy fire on an otherwise insignificant knoll in the valley of the Ia Drang," Ernie Savage received the Distinguished Service Cross.[16]

Lieutenant Colonel Harold "Hal" Moore (later Lieutenant General), commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions at LZ X-Ray. His DSC citation particularly commends his "leadership by example" as well as his skill in battle against overwhelming odds and his unwavering courage.[17]

Journalist Joseph Galloway was the only civilian awarded the Bronze Star Medal for valor during the Vietnam war when he repeatedly disregarded his own safety to rescue wounded soldiers while under fire.[18]

Although many notable decorations have been awarded to veterans of the Battle of Ia Drang, in his book We Were Soldiers Once...And Young, Harold Moore writes:

"We had problems on the awards... Too many men had died bravely and heroically, while the men who had witnessed their deeds had also been killed... Acts of valor that, on other fields, on other days, would have been rewarded with the Medal of Honor or Distinguished Service Cross or a Silver Star were recognized only with a telegram saying, 'The Secretary of the Army regrets...' The same was true of our sister battalion, the 2nd of the 7th."[11]