Gen hal moore and on which the movie is based, plumley is a central character and is introduced as. Based on the book we were soldiers onceand young by joe galloway, the film is as much about battlefield bravery as it. Plumley retired as a command sergeant major on 31 december 1974, after almost 33 years of military service spanning world war ii, the korean war, and the vietnam war. Sad to report the passing of csm basil plumley, 92. Basil plumley, we were soldiers army veteran of 3 wars. Major basil plumley in the brutal and affecting vietnam war film we were soldiers. 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. Plumley was known affectionately by his soldiers as old iron jaw. Army investigating we were soldiers legend for inflating awards. This book was later used to create the 2002 movie we were soldiers where sam elliott played plumley.
The film was directed by randall wallace and stars mel gibson. When basil plumley arrived tuesday afternoon, the fort benning cemetery was decorated with peace. He is most famous for his actions as a sergeantmajor of the us armys 1st battalion, 7th cavalry regiment, at the battle of ia drang 1965. One of the most important elements when it came to making the 2002 film was doing it right, as hal moore had stated that very few war movies actually accomplished. The book was such a success that a decade later, a hit film was made, titled we were soldiers, starring mel gibson as hal moore and sam elliott as basil plumley.
Based on the bestselling book by correspondent joe galloway and lt. Plumley, 92, a retired army command sergeant major whose exploits as an infantryman were portrayed in a book and the movie we were soldiers, died oct. We were soldiers is a 2002 american war film that dramatizes the battle of ia drang on november 14, 1965. Tribute to csm basil plumley, remembering alex karras. He was a heroic figure long before his exploits figured in a book published in 1992, we were soldiers onceand young, and a movie released in 2002, we were. He is well known for his actions as sergeant major of the 1st battalion, 7th cavalry regiment, at the battle of ia drang 1965.
Legendary army sergeant major basil plumley accused of. Galloway the random house publishing group, 1992 steve heiser u. Join sign up keep track of your favorite shows and movies, across all your devices. Csm basil plumley was one of americas greatest soldiers, having fought in world war ii, korea, and vietnam.
Sam elliott pays his respects to true hero behind we were. That battle was the basis for the book we were soldiers once. Plumley as a gruff, tough as nails leader, which seems to match the stories and various accounts from the real men that served with him. Basil plumley, legendary combat vet whose story was told. General hal moore praised plumley as an outstanding nco and leader in the book we were soldiers once. Plumley born 1920 in west virginia is most famous for his actions as a sergeantmajor of the us armys 1st battalion, 7th cavalry regiment, at the battle of ia drang 1965. General hal moore and sergeant major plumley youtube. Nik asks the prisoner in vietnamese and the north vietnamese lookout responds in vietnamese. In vietnam, plumley served as sergeant major the highest enlisted rank.
General hal moore praised plumley as an outstanding nco and leader in his book we were soldiers once. Plumley, who served in the battle of ia drang in vietnam, died today at columbus hospice. Explore our collection of motivational and famous quotes by authors you know and love. At the may reunion, he told of the scene when plumley showed up at another ia drang vets reunion years earlier. He was universally respected by his men and his experience in the ia drang valley in.
Basil plumley americas soldier depicted in we were. Sergeant major plumley received wider prestige after the 1992 publication of we were soldiers once. Army investigating we were soldiers legend for inflating. Tucked between pages 220 and 221 of a dogeared copy of we were soldiers once and young is a receipt from the fort benning commissary dated 2001.
Army to keep infantry icons awards unchanged despite. General hal moore and sergeant major plumley at westpoint on may 10, 2010. Plumley, a renowned career soldier who fought in world war ii, the korean war and vietnam and whose exploits as an infantryman were portrayed. Each ribbon and award on his heavily decorated uniform no doubt represented substantial moments in. Based on the book we were soldiers once and young 1992 by lieutenant general ret. I for one am someone who was inspired to read the book we were soldiers once and young after seeing this movie. Playing at war one of the most important elements when it came to making the 2002 film was doing it right, as hal moore had stated that very few war movies actually accomplished. Plumleys legacy will provide an inspiring example to other soldiers, and through the.
I realized who that old sgt major was who gave us the tour many years later when i did a battlefield analysis at the army officers advance course at ft. The national infantry museum at fort benning, georgia, tweeted a picture of elliot and plumley in noting the veterans death. General hal moore praised plumley as an outstanding nco and leader in the book we were soldiers onceand young. Sgm plumley was a soldier s soldier, with five combat jumps in three wars and an astounding three combat infantry badges. It is based on the book we were soldiers once and young 1992 by lieutenant general ret. Plumley who died of cancer at 92 years of age in 2012 was a pivotal character in the vietnam war book we were soldiers onceand young, which surrounded the events of the battle of ia drang valley during the vietnam war. Plumley was at the heart of the book, we were soldiers once and young he was not a man to tell war stories, nor did he give interviews even though he surely could have told many. Plumley, ne le 1 janvier 1920 a shady spring et mort le 10 octobre 2012 a columbus. Earlier this week, elliott paid his respects to sgt. Galloway about the battle of ia drang and was portrayed by actor sam elliott in the 2002 film adaption.
Cavalry, in the famous battle at ia drang, along with sergeant major basil. Basil plumley, a retired veteran whose units actions in vietnam were turned into a book and then the movie, we were soldiers, has died. Plumley was a prominent and central figure in the 1992 book we were soldiers once and young by lt. The book was the basis for the 2002 film we were soldiers. Basil plumley, retired veteran whose book became we were.
The very striving and hard work that we so constantly try to avoid is the major building block in the person we are today. Command sergeant major basil plumley served in the. We were soldiers is a 2002 american war film directed by randall wallace and starring mel gibson. The sergeant major was known affectionately by his soldiers as old iron jaw. Fort hoods air assault school was renamed after command sgt. The battle was chronicled in the book we were soldiers once. Hes not a sergeant major, but in his soul, he could just be him, said. Plumleys soldiers affectionately called him old iron jaw. 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. Galloway the burial of basil plumley, attended by sam elliot, who portrayed plumley in the movie we were soldiers, and joe galloway, who met plumley when he was a kid reporter on the battlefield during the desperate 1965 ia drang fight. Usas rulon gardner stuns undefeated russian bear aleksandr karelin in olympic epic nbc sports duration.
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