Command Sergeant Major Basil Plumley
CSM Basil Plumley reported to Sky Six at 0430 this morning. He was 92 and died in a Columbus Georgia Hospice after a quick fight with cancer.
He was a warriors warrior, and a rarity among combat vets, a three war infantryman. He made all three combat jumps with the 82nd Airborne in WWII (He made five combat jumps in all), fought in Korea, and was the 1st Battalion 7th Cavalry Sergeant Major on their early deployment to Vietnam, including the Battle of Ia Drang. He was immortalized by Sam Elliott in the movie We Were Soldiers…, but didn’t need a movie to be revered among infantrymen in both the Army and the Marine Corps.
Requiest en pacem Sergeant Major Plumley.
COLUMBUS, Ga. – Basil L. Plumley, a renowned career soldier whose exploits as an Army infantryman were portrayed in a book and the movie “We Were Soldiers,” has died at 92 — an age his friends are amazed that he lived to see.
Plumley fought in World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam and was awarded a medal for making five parachute jumps into combat. The retired command sergeant major died Wednesday.
Friends said Plumley, who died in hospice care in west Georgia, never told war stories and was known to hang up on people who called to interview him. Still, he was near-legendary in the Army and gained more widespread fame through a 1992 Vietnam War book that was the basis for the 2002 movie starring Mel Gibson. Actor Sam Elliott played Plumley in the film.
Plumley didn’t need a Hollywood portrayal to be revered among soldiers, said Greg Camp, a retired Army colonel and former chief of staff at neighboring Fort Benning who befriended Plumley in his later years.
“He’s iconic in military circles,” Camp said. “Among people who have been in the military, he’s beyond what a movie star would be. … His legend permeates three generations of soldiers.”
Debbie Kimble, Plumley’s daughter, said her father died from cancer after spending about nine days at Columbus Hospice. Although the illness seemed to strike suddenly, Kimble said Plumley’s health had been declining since his wife of 63 years, Deurice Plumley, died last May on Memorial Day.
A native of Shady Spring, W.Va., Plumley enlisted in the Army in 1942 and ended up serving 32 years in uniform. In World War II, he fought in the Allied invasion of Italy at Salerno and the D-Day invasion at Normandy. He later fought with the 187th Airborne Infantry Regiment in Korea. In Vietnam, Plumley served as sergeant major — the highest enlisted rank — in the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment.
“That puts him in the rarest of clubs,” said journalist Joseph L. Galloway, who met Plumley while covering the Vietnam War for United Press International and remained lifelong friends with him. “To be combat infantry in those three wars, in the battles he participated in, and to have survived — that is miraculous.”
It was during Vietnam in November 1965 that Plumley served in the Battle of la Drang, the first major engagement between the U.S. Army and North Vietnamese forces. That battle was the basis for the book “We Were Soldiers Once … And Young,” written nearly three decades later by Galloway and retired Lt. Gen. Hal G. Moore, who had been Plumley’s battalion commander in Vietnam.
In the 2002 film version, Mel Gibson played Moore and Elliott played Plumley. Galloway said several of Elliott’s gruff one-liners in the movie were things Plumley actually said, such as the scene in which a soldier tells the sergeant major good morning and is told: “Who made you the (expletive) weather man?”
“Sam Elliott underplayed him. He was actually tougher than that,” Galloway said. “He was gruff, monosyllabic, an absolute terror when it came to enforcing standards of training.”
That’s not to say he was mean or inhuman, Galloway said. “This was a man above all else who had a very big, warm heart that he concealed very well.”
Plumley retired with the rank command sergeant major in 1974 at Fort Benning, his last duty station. He then took a civilian job doing administrative work for the next 15 years at Martin Army Community Hospital.
Camp said Plumley remained strong until just a few weeks before his death. He helped open the Army’s National Infantry Museum at Fort Benning in 2009. Camp, who now works for the museum’s fundraising foundation, said Plumley helped him get Elliott to come narrate a ceremony dedicating the parade ground outside the museum. When Camp mentioned the actor’s name, Plumley handed him Elliott’s cellphone number.
After Plumley became ill, Galloway mentioned his worsening condition on Facebook. Fans of the retired sergeant major responded with a flood of cards and letters. The day before he died in hospice, Camp said, Plumley received about 160 pieces of mail.
“He was dad to me when I was growing up,” said Kimble, Plumley’s daughter. “We are learning every day about him. He was an inspiration to so many. He was a great person, and will always be remembered.”
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Rest well, soldier. Leave the light on for the rest of us.
He was one of only 270 Men to receive the Combat Infantry Badge three times. I may be wrong, but I think that may be even rarer than a Medal of Honor. At some point we will begin to rebuild our evixcerated army and will need to reopen old Army bases. I pray that the first base reestablished will be named Fort Plumley in his honor.
I opened a bottle of Tullamore Dew for a toast in his honor. And damn! Beaten out for a Foist!
Sorry, Sir Rurik. Not trying to steal thunder – just had to tip the virtual cap to a Great American.
An irreplaceable loss for humanity in general, and especially for the United States of America.
HOOAH, Sergeant Major!
Orion
In basic training we had one of those types.as our Field First Dgt. Everybody hated and dreaded him. At the end of Basic our Compamy XO let us inb on a little secret. Sergeant S had been a nice guy onc upon a time, but during his first tour in RVN, being a nice guy and a friend to his men had gotten a bunch of them killed. So, in pounding us into the mud, through the New ersey snow, he was, in his own mind (and reality)hardening us up and saving our lives in spite of ourselves. Thank you Sgt. S.
How many American lives did CSM Plumley save?!!
To your health Eternal!
LC Gregory says:
No apologies needed. My bad for starting the drinking before the mission (posting) was concluded. Who gets to the line first gets the canned chicken instead of the Han-n-Mammies.
Command Sergeant Major Plumley…
“Your wars are o’er
and to your home you’re goin’”
Salute.
God bless him.
He would like this: the SEALs have done a 30-second ad, “BOW TO NO ONE”: http://www.youtube.com/embed/agUx79yG1Lo?rel=0
Pass it on….
I have it on good word that St. Peter had the Gates open. Seems that even God can use a kick ass CSM.
Boy, if I was on the other side, I’d be asking for a RIF. Like last month. Why ?? DER. Nothing says BADASS like a Colt 1911.
And just because, Sgt MacKinzie. *note to the tech masters, we need a crying emocon*
For CSM Basil Plumley and Mongo. Mongo. Alex Karras. whom was in a battle with the NFL to get them to admit that they used and still use “less than the best.”
I’m certain that the CSM has been placed in formation with the rest of the guardian angels.
For those that appreciate stories about kick ass NCO’s, check out a documentary titled “Honor in the valley of tears.” The NCO earned the CMH (not posthumously) and they have him and the other survivors telling the story about the unit genesis along with story of the battle 40 yrs later. So cool I have it recorded.
I don’t know what’s going on here…..seems that a disportionate amount of the good ones are being called home lately. Our Grand Patriarch passed suddely a little over a week ago. My son is heartbroke…..
There’s a memorial this weekend at Occoquan. I’m going to try and make it out there.
LC Nicki the Resident Misanthropic Bitch recently posted..The long-awaited CNN video
I am in awe of this man! It seems so inadequate but my thanks is all I can offer him besides honoring his memory.
What do we do to deserve men such as him serving our country?
The warriors in Valhalla would stand and salute him as he enters.
Tallulah,
Wow that is a powerful message.
Hey, Nicki – do you have any info on that Occoquan memorial? I’d like to pop down for that.
CSM Plumley was more than a man…he was a true Warrior. R.I.P. CSM, you have earned it. /salute
LC Draco recently posted..Exercise Jackal Stone 2012 leaders, participants honor fallen SF comrade
these men like csm plumley are legendary among jumpers today and my uncle bob was one of them.i wanted to be just like him so i joined the 101st and off to viet nam.these first jumpers were men of courage like no others and some of the things they did were unbelievable.they will be missed.rip csm plumley your mission accomplished.
LC Gregory says:
I do, but it’s in my Facebook events, and I can’t access it from work. I’ll post the info tonight when I get home. Sound good?
LC Nicki the Resident Misanthropic Bitch recently posted..Um, What?
in brighter news, but unrelated, it would seem that I only have chickenpox. thank god. I”m home, and resting, if not comfortably. Again, thank you all very much for your support.
LC Nicki the Resident Misanthropic Bitch says:
Sounds great. Thanks!
I’m sure the Sar-Major will be squaring away the boots in St. Peter’s Army.
Soldier your duty is done and well. You’ve earned some leave at home with the wife and those buddies left behind.
LC Jackboot IC/A recently posted..Command Sergeant Major Basil Plumley
LC Gregory says:
And I officially suck, because I totally forgot to check the FB events last night after I got home. I blame Biden.
Tonight, or you can come over and hit me.
LC Nicki the Resident Misanthropic Bitch recently posted..Ryan/Biden Debate
says here it’s been canceled
http://www.nvrpa.org/park/occoquan/events
RIP, CSM Plumley. You have authored a life truly well-lived, and of great and enduring consequence.
Crunchie, thanks once again for bringing stories like these about the great people in our military, past and present, who have earned our respect and admiration. That’s a big part of what I like about this site.
LC Gregory @ #:
So it’s a wake at Madigan’s Waterfront, 201 Mill Street, Occoquan, Virginia 22125.
Apparently it’s nothing official, but more like a gathering for DC area military and their supporters.
LC Nicki the Resident Misanthropic Bitch recently posted..Ryan/Biden Debate