Basil L. Plumley

Basil L. Plumley (born 1920 in West Virginia) is most famous for his actions as a Sergeant-Major of the US Army's 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, at the Battle of Ia Drang (1965). Plumley is a veteran of World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. He made all 4 combat jumps with the 82nd Airborne Division in WWII and one in Korea with the 187th Airborne Infantry Regiment. He retired as a Command Sergeant Major.

He was played by Sam Elliott in the film, We Were Soldiers.

Awards

• Combat Infantryman Badge (3rd Award)
• Master Parchutist Badge with 5 Combat Jump Stars
• Silver Star with one Oak Leaf Cluster
• Bronze Star with one Oak Leaf Cluster
• Purple Heart with three Oak Leaf Clusters
• Army Good Conduct Medal
• American Campaign Medal
• European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with four arrowhead evices and eight campaign stars
• World War II Victory Medal
• Army of Occupation Medal
• National Defense Service Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster
• Korean Service Medal with one Arrowhead Device and three campaign stars
• Vietnam Service Medal with eight campaign stars
• United Nations Service Medal for Korea
• Vietnam Campaign Medal
• Presidential Unit Citation
• Doughboy Award 1999

Sources

• 7th U.S. Cavalry Regiment Association
• "We were Soldiers once, and young". Lt. Gen H.G. Moore Ret. & Joe. L. Galloway (Airlife 1994)

See also

• Hal Moore
• List of Korean War veterans who are recipients of the Bronze Star