Command Sergeant Major Basil Plumley passes

[Bigfoot]

Gentlemen, prepare to defend yourself! - YouTube

Played by Sam Elliot.

Plumley was a veteran of WWII, Korea, and Vietnam (as many others were), but he is best known as the Battalion Sgt. Major for the 1-7th Calvary, 1st Calvary Division (Airmobile). From the An Khe “golf course” (the layout of the helicopter pads looked to some, from the air, like a golf course) to the Ia Drang was a short hop, but it might have been 10,000 miles:

Prior to the battle at LZ X-Ray, Plumley had done a few other things, like making all four combat jumps made by the 82nd Airborne Division in WWII, and a combat jump in Korea. I don’t know if there is any man in the Army, ever, who ever made more than that, but maybe.

He was married to the same woman for 63 years. She proceeded him in death by a few months. Even at age 90, he was a barrel chested, impressive man. I never met him, but he would cause men who hadn’t been in the Army for 30 years to snap to when he entered a room.

CMSgt. Major Basil Plumley, RIP « A Blog for Dallas Area Catholics


RIP Sergeant Major you were one of a kind. My thoughts and prayers go out to you're loved ones.

 

[Bigfoot]

Joe Galloway, the notorious wartime correspondent, also a key leading figure in “We Were Soldiers,” has written numerous accounts reflecting CSM Plumley’s character. The excerpt below is just one of many showing how brave and demanding CSM Plumley truly was:

“The sergeant major bent at the waist and shouted over the incredible din of battle----'You can't take no pictures laying down there on the ground, Sonny.' I thought to myself he's right. I also thought fleetingly that we might all die here in this place---and if I am going to die I would just as soon take mine standing up beside a man like this. Like a fool, I got up. I followed the sergeant major over to the makeshift aid station where Doc Carrera and Sgt. Tommie Keeton were tending the wounded. Plumley hollered at them: Gentlemen, prepare to defend yourselves! As he pulled out his .45 pistol and jacked a round into the chamber.”

Read more: Why CSM Basil L. Plumley meant so much to me and so many others | Fox News

 

[whitehall]

I guess his role in "We were Soldiers" played by Sam Elliott was pretty accurate. They don't make them like that anymore. God Bless.

 

[Mr. H.]

R.I.P.

Too bad that movie stunk, thanks to Gel Mibson.