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| -Obits- |
| SGM Basil L. Plumley "We Were Soldiers" LZ X-Ray |
| 2012-10-11 |
| "If any of you sons of bitches calls me grandpa, I'll kill you". Sam Elliot as SGM Plumley |
| Posted by:Besoeker |
| #15 Unfortunately for me, Ft Benning was a bit better about survivor notification. I had a layover between Airborne and Ranger School and they put me on survivor notification. So I put on my greens jumped in a staff car with a handful of these letters and go down to the housing area. IT WAS AWFUL. Worst job in the world telling a woman ten years older than you with four kids that her husband was dead. I've never forgotten looking in the rear view mirror and seeing the crowd of wives following me down the street to see whose house I was stopping at. Sometimes they would go in the back door and have the wife seated in the living room with a group of supporting wives when I gave my little speech about "The PResident of the United States gives you greetings and regrets to inform you that your husband died in the service of his country on x date. Etc., I forget the rest of it. I would have loved to have served with Plumley and Moore they were probably quite a pair together. |
| Posted by: Bill Clinton 2012-10-11 21:18 |
| #14 haven't read the book. Got the DVD. It's worn out from watching (I don't rewind, because I'm incourteous to myself that way). Great film. The taxi Western Union message delivery scenes are heartbreaking |
| Posted by: Frank G 2012-10-11 20:46 |
| #13 "If you haven't read Moore's book "We were Soldiers Once and Young" you are missing a real treat" That is very true. Many people from that regiment went on to distinguish themselves e.g. Rick Rescorla. |
| Posted by: Raider 2012-10-11 20:02 |
| #12 RIP. Sounds like one hell of a good man to be on your side. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2012-10-11 17:42 |
| #11 He chewed tobacco and smoked cigars at the same time An old fella from that era I knew chewed tobacco, smoked a pipe and drank hot coffee at the same time... for breakfast. |
| Posted by: Thoper Whaith5445 2012-10-11 17:32 |
| #10 I had a 1SGT who jumped into Normandy with the 82nd. He chewed tobacco and smoked cigars at the same time and spent a year wiping my butter bar ass while I learned from him. I also had a SGM who was so tough even the Bn CO called him sir...tough old SOB was a dead shot with anything that shot bullets and he knew his wines too. If you haven't read Moore's book "We were Soldiers Once and Young" you are missing a real treat. |
| Posted by: Bill Clinton 2012-10-11 17:24 |
| #9 These men didn't like glaring attention. They just hated evil, and they took it out on the devil at every opportunity. Satan is breathing as sigh of relief. |
| Posted by: Shavimble B. Hayes9890 2012-10-11 16:49 |
| #8 "Gentlemen, prepare to defend yourselves!" |
| Posted by: mojo 2012-10-11 16:36 |
| #7 Most SGM are like him. Gruff, blunt but effective. Ours lived on coffee and hate. But they took care of you and made damn sure you had enough beans and bullets to do your job. A line from the move was most like one I met in the service: "Good day, Sergent Major!" "How do you know what kind of goddamn day it is?" |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2012-10-11 14:25 |
| #6 I cannot remember the beginning well enough to comment on that, but here @ comment 16: http://thisainthell.us/blog/?p=32328#comments Someone spent the time to put together the list of decorations; and defer to the professionals here or elsewhere accuracy. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2012-10-11 14:02 |
| #5 a stud and a hero |
| Posted by: Frank G 2012-10-11 12:30 |
| #4 RIP |
| Posted by: Hellfish 2012-10-11 12:00 |
| #3 I think to remind at the beginning his character wears the Medal of Honor but his bio doesn't list it. |
| Posted by: JFM 2012-10-11 11:54 |
| #2 When asked why he was not carrying an M16," Son, if I need an M16 there will be plenty lying around to use." Rough quote. |
| Posted by: 49 Pan 2012-10-11 11:33 |
| #1 Another quote from the movie: [Plumley hands Galloway an M-16 and several magazines.] Joe Galloway: Uh, sir? I-I'm a noncombatant, sir. Plumley: Ain't no such thing today, boy. |
| Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 2012-10-11 11:17 |