Col. Andy Hilmes, the garrison commander for Fort Benning, stated that they are investigating the information and that it’ is possible that Plumley’s tombstone may be corrected. Elliot would often steal into town unannounced to visit him and his family. Lt. General Hal Moore, Plumley’s commander of the battalion during this battle praised Plumley as being ‘an outstanding NCO and leader’ in the book published in 1992 regarding this battle. Major, too. There is no denying Plumley’s Silver Star awarded for courage and valor in Battle of Ia Drang Valley during the Vietnam war as it has been confirmed both by records and eyewitness accounts. Sterner feels that pursuing Plumley is a waste of time and resources. This brought his count up to 40 awards/decorations for his 33 years (or close to) of service in the military, which spanned World War 2, the Korean War and finally the Vietnam War. This was a two-part battle, and it happened between the days of November 14th and November 18th, 1965. Plumley’s soldiers affectionately called him ‘Old Iron Jaw’. He acknowledges that records from the time can be unreliable and that faulty record keeping could be the cause for the discrepancies found in Siddall’s research. The second battle was a surprise attack from the North Vietnamese Army. This book was named ‘We Were Soldiers Once…And Young’. He went on to state that Plumley also exaggerated the number of Combat Infantry Badges he was awarded. Major Plumley who passed away at the age of 92. Download the AMN app for your mobile device today, Silly Iranian Lawmakers Approve Reparations That The U.S. Pay Up For 63 Years Of “Spiritual And Material Damage", NEW: Navy Releases Footage Of Russian Fighter Jets Buzzing U.S. Destroyer In The Baltic, Veterans Affairs: Direct deposit, periodic review recommended to get most out of benefits, Michael Roby sentenced to 18 months in jail after seizure of ‘ghost guns’ and bump stocks, AG says, Space Force eyes orbiting 3D printers, satellite tow trucks, FBI, CISA warn hackers have accessed 2020 election systems. For example, in 1973 there was a fire that wiped out 80% of the records from Korea and WW2. Believe I'm gonna stick with my pistol. His family’s involvement in WWII and their roles as paratroopers sparked an interest in WWII paratroopers in Siddald. Guided Discussion – Possible Answers . Feels like a BB gun to me. Siddall never served in the military but Siddall’s father and uncle both served during WWII. General Hal Moore and Sergeant Major Plumley at Westpoint on May 10, 2010. He was there….”, “That’s the difference,” he says. Plumley is most well-known for his actions whilst being Sergeant Major of the United States Army’s 1st battalion, the regiment of 7th Cavalry during the Battle of la Drang at Vietnam, 1965. According to the Columbus Star Ledger, during filming the revered western actor and Plumley developed a deep, almost father-son friendship that carried through until the Sgt. Elliot gave an incredible and gritty performance that proved to be one of the highlights of the film. Major’s death last week. In the movie adaption (2002) Sam Elliot played Plumley and Mel Gibson played Hal Moore. He sent his findings to Fort Benning in late 2015 in the hopes that this research will lead to Plumley’s headstone being altered. He was part of the 82nd Airborne Division and made four combat jumps at Salerno, Sicily, Normandy (on D-Day) and the Netherlands (in Operation Market Garden). That’s just the way that Elliot portrayed the Sgt. In 2002 actor Sam Elliot played Sgt. This is just one example of records being lost – there are countless other examples. Major Basil Plumley, who became widely known in popular culture due to his appearance in the book, and then the movie adaptation, “We Were Soldiers Once … and Young,” by Lt. Gen. Harold G. Moore (Ret.) They stand at the right hand of God and sometimes they speak with more authority than God.”. Correspondent Galloway, the only civilian to win a Bronze Star in Vietnam for his actions during the Ia Drang battle said of Plumley, “He was the very essence of a command sergeant major. Lt. On May 4, 2016 Military.com contacted Fort Benning about the information submitted by Siddall. Sergeant Major Basil Plumley: Ahh, lotsa plastic. Moore then led the 1st Battalion, 7th U.S. Cavalry, in the famous battle at Ia Drang, along with Sergeant Major Basil Plumley. Colonel Hal Moore: Think we're gonna get close enough to the enemy to use that? The location was two landing zones in South Vietnam, Central Highlands close to the la Drang River. It is based on the book We Were Soldiers Once… And Young (1992) by Lieutenant General (Ret.) I have looked at how do we go about changing the headstone. Sterner vehemently argues that there is no point in attempting to discredit Plumley. We Were Soldiers is a 2002 American war film that dramatizes the Battle of Ia Drang on November 14, 1965. According to Sterner hundreds of soldiers have been awarded Silver Stars despite there being no official records to confirm their actions. Major Plumley was always in the thickest of the fighting. He claims that Plumley only earned the single Silver Star he was awarded in Vietnam and hopes to have Plumley’s headstone altered to remove the additional accolades. Plumley joined the United States Army on March 31st, 1942, as a private. Do you think Plumley’s tombstone will be changed? “I want to do the right thing. Sergeant Major Basil Plumley: Seen the new rifles too, the M-16. The letter from the Army states there is no verification that Plumley is authorized more than one Silver Star or the Bronze Star Medal.