Basil L. Plumley : biography
Basil L. Plumley (January 1, 1920 – October 10, 2012) 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 320th Glider Field Artillery Battalion, with which he made 4 combat jumps and was awarded multiple decorations. He confirms this during interviews conducted with author Phil Nordyke, who has written 4 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 Cold War, 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.Associated Press, "", Military Times, 10 October 2012
Awards and decorations
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 | |
number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Legion of Merit ribbon.svg|width=60}} | Legion of Merit | |
number=1|other_device=v|ribbon=Bronze Star ribbon.svg|width=60}} | Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster and Valor Device | |
number=3|type=oak|ribbon=Purple Heart BAR.svg|width=60}} | Purple Heart with three Oak Leaf Clusters | |
number=8|type=oak|ribbon=Air Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} | Air Medal with one silver and three bronze Oak Leaf Clusters | |
number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Army Commendation Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} | Army Commendation Medal | |
number=2|type=oak|ribbon=AF Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon.png|width=60}} | Army Presidential Unit Citation with two Oak Leaf Clusters | |
number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Army Good Conduct ribbon.svg|width=60}} | Army Good Conduct Medal (6 or 11 awards) | |
number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=American Defense Service ribbon.svg|width=60}} | American Defense Service Medal | |
number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=American Campaign Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} | American Campaign Medal | |
number=8|type=service-star|other_device=arrowhead|ribbon=European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign ribbon.svg|width=60}} | 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) | |
number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=World War II Victory Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} | World War II Victory Medal | |
number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Army of Occupation ribbon.svg|width=60}} | Army of Occupation Medal | |
number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} | National Defense Service Medal with bronze star | |
number=3|type=service-star|other_device=arrowhead|ribbon=KSMRib.svg|width=60}} | Korean Service Medal with Arrowhead device and three campaign stars | |
number=8|type=service-star|ribbon=Vietnam Service Ribbon.svg|width=60}} | Vietnam Service Medal with one silver and three bronze campaign stars | |
number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=AFEMRib.svg|width=60}} | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal | |
number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=Ruban de la croix de guerre 1939-1945.PNG|width=60}} | 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) | ||
number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=Vietnam gallantry cross-3d.svg|width=60}} | Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Bronze Star | |
number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Presidential Unit Citation (Korea).svg|width=60}} | Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation | |
Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with Palm | ||
number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=United Nations Service Medal for Korea ribbon.png|width=60}} | United Nations Service Medal for Korea | |
number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Vietnam Campaign Medal ribbon.png|width=60}} | Vietnam Campaign Medal | |
number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Korean War Service Medal ribbon.png|width=60}} | Republic of Korea War Service Medal | |
number=0|type=oak|ribbon=noribbon.svg|width=60}} | Order of Saint Maurice Primicerius and Doughboy Award | |
number=0|type=oak|ribbon=noribbon.svg|width=60}} | 10 Service Stripes, indicating 30–32 years of service |
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. After 2 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 9 days in Columbus Hospice (Columbus, Georgia), on October 10, 2012. He is survived by his daughter, Debbie Kimble, a granddaughter, and 2 great-grandchildren.
In popular culture
Plumley was played by Sam Elliott in the movie We Were Soldiers (2002) about the Battle of Ia Drang.