The Original Plumley Article

Basil L. Plumley was drafted into the U.S. Army as a Private (Pvt) and went on Active Duty (AD) 31 March 1942.[1]  Pvt Plumley Army Serial Number (ASN) was 35425274 and he joined Battery B 320th Field Artillery Battalion (Btry B 320th FA Bn), 82^nd Infantry Division (82nd Inf Div) 5 April 1942.[2] 

Plumley went through basic training for 8 weeks at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana.[3] [4]  Upon graduation was promoted to Private First Class (Pfc) 19 June 1942 with his Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) 345 listed as Truck Driver.[5]  Pfc Plumley was promoted on 25 July 1942 to Technician 5th Grade (T5) with the same MOS.[6] 

15 August 1942 the 82^nd Inf Div was converted to the 82^nd Airborne Division (82^nd Abn Div).  The 320^th FA Bn converted that day as well to the 320th Glider Field Artillery Battalion (320th Gli FA Bn).[7] 

Pfc Plumley was promoted once again 1 April 1943 to the rank of Corporal (Cpl) and his MOS had changed as well to 761 Scout.[8]

The 320th Gli FA Bn set sail on 29 April 1943 to Casablanca, Morocco arriving 10 May 1943.[9]  The 320th Gli FA Bn then moved to Kairouan, Tunisia 9 July 1943.[10]  Operation Husky commenced 9 July 1943 with the entire 82^nd Abn Div committed minus the 320th Gli FA Bn, 325 Gli Inf and Company A (Co A) 307^th Airborne Engineer Battalion (Combat) (307^th Abn Engr Bn (C)) which stayed at Kairouan, held back as reserves.[11]

Btry B 320th Gli FA Bn arrived by Ship 23 September 1943 landing at Paestum, Italy.[12]  The 320th Gli FA Bn entered into combat for the first time in WWII at 1108 hours 17 October 1943 during the Naples-Foggia campaign.  The 320th Gli FA Bn was attached to the 3^rd Inf Div Artillery (Arty) north of Volturno River in Italy.[13]  The 320th Gli FA Bn reverted back to the 82^nd Abn Div 1 November 1944 and returned to Naples.

The 320th Gli FA Bn left Naples, Italy 18 November 1943 sailing to Belfast, Northern Ireland and arriving 9 December 1943.[14]  Cpl Plumley went on furlough for 5 days starting 3 February 1944 while the Battalion was in Camp Monrush, Cookstown, Northern Ireland.[15]  The 320th Gli FA Bn moved to Husbands, Bosworth England preparing for Operation Neptune (Normandy).[16]  Cpl Plumley's MOS 761 remained the same going into Normandy.  Scouts would search out locations for emplacements for the 105mm Guns.[17]  

While researching Plumley the following narrative was created;

The Life and Death of 2^nd Lt Jesse Elmo Stewart, 29 May 1944 to 6 July 1944.

The short life of Second Lieutenant (2^nd Lt) Stewart is a perfect example of the differences between Paratroop, Artillery and Airborne.  Using the 82^nd Abn Div as the example everyone is Airborne, but not all are Paratroop and yet not all Paratroopers are entitled to receive the Combat Infantry Badge (CIB).[18] 

2^nd Lt Stewart was promoted from Assistant Executive Officer to Executive Officer.[19]  His MOS was changed to 1512 (Airborne Infantry Unit Commander).[20]  The difference is the Arm of Service on the Morning Reports.[21]  All 82^nd Abn Div Soldiers were Airborne, not all were Infantry nor were all Paratroopers Infantry either.  Some of the Paratroopers were Artillery and some were Corps of Engineers (CE) which means they didn’t meet the criteria for the Combat Infantry Badge (another criteria is the General Order (GO) for the Combat Infantry Badge).[22]    

Only the Infantry would be eligible to receive the Combat Infantry Badge.  That also means the Infantry including Infantry Paratroopers would be given, in 1962, the Bronze Star Medal as well.[23]  The Paratrooper (Field Artillery and Corps of Engineers) did not meet the criteria for the Combat Infantry Badge which also means they were not eligible for the 1962 Bronze Star Medal. 

In 1944 the MOS was not part of the Combat Infantry Badge criteria.  This changed in 1961 to include the MOS along with the Arm of Service.  The third criteria was at the end of hostilities a Soldier is not eligible to receive the CIB.  Even if transferred to an Infantry Unit but after 8 May 1945 they no longer met the criteria for the CIB.[24]   

2^nd Lt Stewart’s and Private Streicher (spelled Striker on the 507^th Prcht Inf Morning Report) [25] both jumped into Normandy with the 507^th Prcht Inf on 6 June 1944.[26]  Both of their Arm of Service and MOS were still Field Artillery not Infantry which means they were not eligible to receive the Combat Infantry Badge but they were eligible to wear the Jump Wings as they had graduated from Parachute School either back in 1942 at Ft. Benning or in England in 1944.  They would have also worn one star with their Jump Wings after jumping into Normandy.[27]

You can graduate from Parachute School and still not be in a Paratroop/Infantry Unit.  The 377^th Prcht Field Artillery Battalion (377^th Prcht FA Bn) was Paratroop but once again wasn't eligible for the Combat Infantry Badge.  Back in 1942 some of the men from the 320^th Gli FA Bn went though Parachute School.  2^nd Lt Stewart’s and Private Streicher were the only members of the 320^th FA Bn Soldiers to Jump into Normandy.[28]  The rest of the 320^th Gli FA Bn came in by Glider on 6 June 1944.[29]  The advance party came in 0405 and the main body came in 19 hours later by Glider.[30] 

2^nd Lt Stewart was wounded on 4 July 1944 while a Spotter for the 325^th Gli Inf 1^st Bn.[31]  He was hit by artillery fire in the head and died 2 days later.[32]  2^nd Lt Stewart was promoted on 8 July 1944 to 1^st Lt.[33]  Because of his death on 4 July 1944 it was later rescinded.  On 2^nd Lt Jesse E. Stewart’s Hospital Admission Card it has him in the Hospital for 1 days and 1 day in an Aid Station before his death yet on the Headstone it has his death as 4 July 1944 the day he was wounded not 6 July 1944 his actual date of death.[34]

Back to the Plumley article;

The next Morning Report in July of 1944 shows Cpl Plumley going on furlough again for 5 days after Normandy.[35]  The next campaign was Market Garden for Btry B of the 320th Gli FA Bn.[36]  They landed 18 September 1944 and Cpl Plumley was wounded the same day.[37]  The Hospital Card shows the length and type of wound from Market Garden.[38]

Plumley was in Btry B 320th Gli FA Bn 82^nd Abn Div from 4 April 1942 to 23 June 1945 as it shows him promoted to Sgt 6 weeks after the end of hostilities in Europe and transferring out of Btry B.[39]

Plumley and the 320th Gli FA Bn were entitled to the following Campaign Battle Stars;[40]

Sicily

Napes-Foggia

Normandy

Rhineland

Ardennes

Central Europe

(The 320th Gli FA Bn, 325^th Gli Inf and Co A 307^th Abn Engr Bn (C) received credit for Sicily even though they didn’t participate in that campaign since they were in reserve.

Below are the awards Command Sergeant Major (CSM) Plumley are entitled.[41] [42]
(Awards worn by CSM Plumey in picture taken 10 May 2010 at West Point, NY Left Chest then Right Chest.

Left Chest

Badge - COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE (Vietnam) (It shows three, St. Louis and the Army says two CIBs, but Plumley wasn't in Korea during the war years, and didn't meet the criteria for a WWII CIB so what is the second one for?)

Row 1 -    (A) The LEGION OF MERIT (Between August 1973 to December 1974) (Ft. Benning, GA)
               (B) SILVER STAR Medal W/BRONZE OAK LEAF CLUSTER (Vietnam) (The Silver Star Medal should be in front of The Legion of Merit)

Row 2 -    (A) BRONZE STAR MEDAL W/BRONZE OAK LEAF CLUSTER & LETTER “V” DEVICE (Shows two, meets the criteria for 2 Bronze Star Medal and that is based on the 1962 criteria for Meritorious, not Valor and the 1966 Bronze Star Medal for Meritorious Service.) (None for Valor)
               (B) AIR MEDAL W/l SILVER & 3 BRONZE OAK LEAF CLUSTERS (WWII & Vietnam)

Row 3 -   (A) ARMY COMMENDATION MEDAL W/3 BRONZE OAK LEAF CLUSTERS (Clusters not shown on 2010 rack)
              (B) PURPLE HEART W/BRONZE OAK LEAF CLUSTER (WWII & Vietnam )
              (C) GOOD CONDUCT MEDALS (8) (Career)            

Row 4 -   (A) American Defense Service Medal (1939-1941) (didn't join until 1942, doesn't meet the criteria)
              (B) AMERICAN THEATER RIBBON (WWII) (NARA Award wrong, should say American Campaign Medal)
              (C) EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDALW/l  SILVER & 1 BRONZE  (BATTLE STARS) (WWII) (Shows 2 Bronze Battle Star, should only be one or does Africa Campaign count?) (Award of Bronze service arrowhead shown on Ribbon but not on Awards Listing.  Plumley is entitled to both the Normandy and Holland Arrowheads, but could only wear one on Ribbon)
              (D) WORLD WAR II VICTORY MEDAL

Row 5 -   (A) ARMY OCCUPATION MEDAL W/GERMANY CLASP
              (B) NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL W/BRONZE OAK LEAF CLUSTER (Korea & Vietnam) (Active Duty Personal stationed anywhere in the world)  (once for Korea and once for Vietnam)
              (C) VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL W/l SILVER & 3 BRONZE SERVICE STARS (Vietnam) (Missing Silver Battle Star on Ribbon)
              (D) ARMED FORCES EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL (Vietnam)

Row 6 -   (A) FRENCH FOURRAGERE GUERRE W/PALM (WWII) (Plumley isn't allowed to wear the Ribbon as this is a Unit Award to be worn as a Lanyard)
              (B) BELGIUM FOURRAGERE (WWII) (Plumley isn't allowed to wear the Ribbon as this is a Unit Award to be worn as a Lanyard)
              (C) REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM GALLANTRY CROSS W/GOLD STAR (Star goes on Row 6 for Soldier and Palm goes on Right Chest as it is Unit Award)
              (D) REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM CAMPAIGN MEDAL W/l 960 DEVICE

Badge - SENIOR PARACHUTIST BADGE (Listed wrong Badge)

Right Chest

Badge - REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM PARACHUTIST BADGE (Vietnam)

Row 1 -   (A) REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM GALLANTRY CROSS (PALM) (Vietnam) 
              (B) PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION (Plumley has two Oak Leaf Cluster but none on Awards list.  This DISTINGUISHED UNIT BADGE became the PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION first means that the PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION was the first Oak Leaf cluster, second unknown checking with St. Louis, MO)  

Combat Ready Infantry Cord (Blue) on Right Shoulder

Sleeves

Right Sleeve - OVERSEAS SERVICE BARS (8) (Career) (Plumley didn't wear them in 2010 Picture)
Left Sleeve - SERVICE STRIPES (9) (Career) (Plumley was Service on both sides) (9 Total as he was just short of 30 years)

Not shown on Decorations and Awards in May of 2010 Picture;

U.S. Army Glider Badge (with two STars) (WWII)
EXPERT BADGE W/CARBINE BAR
FRENCH FOURRAGERE GUERRE W/PALM  (WWII)
NETHERLAND ORANGE LANYARD (WWII)
BELGIUM FOURRAGERE (WWII)
 

CSM Plumley is also entitled to the The Korea Defense Service Medal as he served their in 1972.  CSM Plumley's family just needs to request The Korea Defense Service Medal to receive that Award.

Military Abbreviations/Acronyms (in order of appearance)

Pvt (Private)

AD (Active Duty)

ASN (Army Serial Number)

Btry B (Battery B)

320^th FA Bn (320th Field Artillery Battalion)

82^nd Inf Div (82^nd Infantry Division)

Pfc (Private First Class)

Military Occupational Specialty

T5 (Technician 5th Grade)

82^nd Abn Div (82^nd Airborne Division)

320^th Gli FA Bn  (320th Glider Field Artillery Battalion)

Cpl (Corporal)

325 Gli Inf (325^th Glider Infantry)

Co A (Company A)

307^th Abn Engr Bn (C) (307^th Airborne Engineer Battalion (Combat))

Arty (Artillery)

2^nd Lt (Second Lieutenant)

CIB (Combat Infantry Badge)

CE (Corps of Engineers)

GO (General Order)

1^st Lt (First Lieutenant)

1^st Bn (First Battalion)

Sgt (Sergeant)

CSM (Command Sergeant Major)

What does all this mean?  It means Command Sergeant Major (CSM) Plumley had a distinguished career in the U.S. Army.  Up until the movie came out about his time in Vietnam he wasn’t know widely outside of the men who served with and under him.

The above records are from St. Louis, MO NARA[43] and from Morning Reports which both came from the Army.

When I spoke with him in July of 2011 he never claimed to have jumped out of an airplane in combat in WWII or any other wars.  He did talk briefly about that he jumped out of helicopters but never an airplane in wartime.

CSM Plumley was in Korea, in 1972-73 never before that time period and he never claimed to have been in Korea in the 1950's.[44]  When you look at his overseas assignments it speaks for itself.[45]  Look where Plumley was between 1951 through 26 February 1953, Ft. Campbell, Kentucky then he went to Germany.  He returned home three years later and then back again to Germany 2 years later for 2 ½ years.[46]

CSM Plumley has the NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL W/BRONZE OAK LEAF CLUSTER (once for Vietnam and once for Korea).  The Korean one was for any Soldier on Active Duty during the Korean War.  If you were in Germany, Alaska or anywhere else in the world that award was given out.  The other one was for Vietnam and he was in country twice[47] 

St. Louis NARA needs to correct the CIB and Bronze Star Medal issues and they have named some of the Awards wrong and CSM Plumley have Awards on his Rack that St. Louis and the Army don't have on Decorations and Awards.

Plumley Update to the 2015 Article

This is an update to my September 8, 2015 article about CSM Plumley.[1]  I can no longer defend someone like Plumley. 

CSM Plumley never jumped in combat in WWII, he was a Gliderman which is much more dangerous that jumping out of a plane but he had to lie about even that.  Plumley was not in Korea until 1972 which means he didn’t jump in Korea in 1950 or ’51 (that is on Galloway not Plumley).  All Galloway had to do was look at Plumley's records to see that.  Plumley has one Combat Infantryman's Badge not three. 

These are called facts backed up with documentation.  That Galloway still believes his own Obituary for Plumley proves that anything Galloway has ever written must be looked at as fiction as it pertains to his work with Plumley at LZ X-Ray.

These weren’t a few mistakes, by Plumley, they were willful falsification.  That Galloway still believes Plumley’s lies is sad to say the least.  

At the close of WWII Plumley had the following Awards and Decorations (and Citations) on his 53-55[2] & Service Record[3];

Purple Heart
EAME (European, African, Middle Eastern) (1 Silver Battle Star & 1 Bronze Battle Star)
Good Conduct Medal
The Bronze Arrowhead

Glider Badge
Presidential Unit Citation
Netherland Orange Lanyard|
French Fourragere Guerre
Belgium Fourragere
4 Overseas Service Bars
2 Service Stripes|
(Expert Badge W/Carbine Bar)
(Parachute Badge)

American Campaign Medal
Army of Occupation Medal
World War II Victory Medal

The two Awards; Expert Badge W/Carbine Bar & Parachute Badge listed on the 53-55 could not be verified when Plumley was called back into the Active Service in January of 1951 (only listed the Parachute Badge in 1951).[4]

Plumley left Active Duty September 23, 1945 and went into the Reserves.[5]  Plumley was called to active duty January 29, 1951.[6]  Sections 21 Medals and Section 9[7] listed different Awards and Badges (below in RED) than the 1945 53-55 (listed above).  Sections 21/9 should have matched up with his 53-55 Discharge in 1945 but didn’t.

Section 21 for Parachute Badge stated “not verified” and in Section 22 he had to qualify again.[8]  Yet in Section 9 it had him listed as Awarded the Senior Parachutist Badge May 1945.[9]

There were many problems with that his records.  First Plumley claimed that he went to Parachute School in 1942 for 8 Weeks, but only later in his military career did Plumley list that.[10]  Plumley also claimed he went to the 82^nd Jump School in France between March 1, 1945 and March 11, 1945.[11]  Yet on his Service Record it was blank for Jump Record.[12]

Even if true he was not entitled to Parachute Pay as he was in the 320^th Gli FA Bn which means he wasn’t on Jump Status.  Jump status is for a Parachute Unit and Plumley was Glider.  In Plumley’s Service Record between 1942 and 1945 and after he went to the 680^th Gli FA Bn someone wrote in a different print and said he was entitled to Prcht Pay which wasn’t true.[13]  You get paid one of the other (parachute or glider) for payment, not both.

Plumley was Glider which meant he was an 82^nd Airborne Division Glider, not an 82^nd Airborne Division Paratrooper.  This was the first official documentation showing that he had altering Army documentation by writing this (& Prcht Pay) (1945)[14].  When that was altered we don't know but it had to have been between 1945 and 1951.      

This is Plumley’s list in January of 1951;

(Parachute Badge) (Not Verified)
((Combat Infantryman Badge))
World War II Victory Medal
Army of Occupation Medal
Purple Heart
EAME (European, African, Middle Eastern) (8 Bronze Service Stars)
((French Fourragere Guerre w/Palm))
French Fourragere Guerre
Belgium Fourragere
Netherland Orange Lanyard
((Bronze Star Medal))
Presidential Unit Citation
((Senior Parachutist Badge))

(Not entitled)

Not listed now
The Bronze Arrowhead
Good Conduct Medal (Missing two Citations, 2 and 3)
Glider Badge
4 Overseas Service Bars
2 Service Stripes
(Expert Badge W/Carbine Bar)

For the French Fourragere Guerre in Section 21 it has him listed with a Palm[15].  That is an Individual Award and there are no Orders to confirm that.  In the same Section he has the EAME (European, African, Middle Eastern) (1 Silver Battle Star & 1 Bronze Battle Star) listed as 8 Battle Stars.  That is wrong as well as he had 6, not 8.  Plumley’s Bronze Arrowhead was turned it into The Bronze Star between his 1945 53-55 and his 1951 Enlistment record.  Later Plumley would take the Silver Battle Star and turn that into a Silver Star Medal. 

(III. AWARD ELIGIBILITY Senior Parachutist:  served on jump status with an airborne unit or other organization authorized parachutists for a total of at least 24 months.)  Plumley was never eligible for the Senior Parachutist Badge.  Plumley was never on Jump Status for 24 months.  The Plumley lie started in the 1951 Enlistment just like the Bronze Star Medal listed and French Fourragere Guerre w/Palm listed above.   He has Senior Parachute Badge and that was impossible as mentioned many times he was in a Glider Unit his entire time between 1942 and 1948.    

The biggest lie is that he had the CIB (Combat Infantryman’s Badge) listed in Sections 21[16] and it said it came from his WWII 53-55 file[17].  That was never listed under the original 53-55 or Service Record[18].  This means Plumley altered his DD-214 when he went on active duty in 1951 because it wasn’t on the original 53-55. Plumley did not qualify because of his Branch of Service was Artillery in WWII.  The CIB is only for Infantry, not any other Branch of Service. 

When Plumley retired December 31, 1974 on his DD 214 he had 2 CIBs listed not three.  When Plumley was interviewed for the We Were Soldiers... book he said he had three CIBs by that time (early 1990s).   The Awards and Decorations Branch has Plumley listed as one, not three CIBs[19].  Plumley didn’t meet the criteria for WWII and wasn’t in Korea so his first and only CIB was in Vietnam.

Here is the other large lie; Plumley was not in Korea until 1972[20].  Plumley was never there during the 1950-1953 time period.  He was in Ft. Campbell for those years[21] and then Germany[22].  Why Galloway didn’t do his due diligence for Plumley I don’t know.  In the back of his book he has Plumley’s Awards and Decorations and quite a few of them are not true either.  I can only figure that Galloway looked up to Plumley as a father figure. 

The problem is that a large part of Plumley’s information in the book weren’t true as far as his Awards and Decorations.  That calls into question the entire book which is sad to say.  Even now Galloway could correct his mistake but he refuses to do that it seems.  To me this is a huge insult, especially to the family members of the men who were killed in Vietnam with the 7^th Cavalry 1^st Bn in November of 1965.

All of the records produced for this and my other Plumley article were from the NPRC (National Personnel Record Center) and the HRC ADC (Human Resources Command and the Awards and Decorations Branch) along with Morning Reports from NARA at St. Louis.

It’s been a while but this one is very important.  Plumley was a man who served with the 82^nd Abn Div in WWII and with the 1^st Cav Div in Vietnam.  He was prominently mentioned in both the book and movie adaptation for We Were Soldiers Once in 1992/2002.  Paratroopers look up to him because he told the world he had 5 Combat Jumps between WWII and Korea.  He had none, zero, nothing.  As mentioned in the previous article he was a Glider Man in WWII and wasn’t in Korea at all until 20 years after the fact.

His Headstone at Ft. Benning is another mistake[23].  His Headstone should read Silver Star & Bronze Star with OLC.  He has one Silver Star Medal & two Bronze Star Medals, (none for Valor)[24].  If a family members can substantiate other Awards please step forward and contact the Awards and Decorations Branch.   

Galloway is just as guilty in his own way.  If he had done his due diligence none of this would have happened.  Instead he played up Plumley in the book and especially in the movie. 

General Moore took Plumley at his word as Plumley had the CIB on his chest before the Vietnam deployment.  The one thing I can’t figure out is Plumley had 3 CIB’s on his chest not two.  Lt Col Moore (at that time) saw the one CIB and that he got his second (in his mind) after the October 1965 battle but never asked Plumley later in life where the “3^rd” CIB came from.  We will never know it seems.

General Moore in the After Action Reports and the IA DRANG VALLEY OPERATION[25] has Plumley mentioned how many times?  Once at the beginning of the After Action Report by Lt Col Moore.  Moore mentions different Officers and NCOs in the After Action Report but never mentions Plumley again.

Plumley received the Silver Star Medal for what he did and it was important.  But that wasn’t enough for someone like Plumley.  Plumley had to build himself up even more.  For Plumley to be seen wearing the Combat Infantryman’s Badge with the 3 CIB Badge at West Point in 2010 was disgusting[26].  Plumley knew what he was doing and didn’t care at all.

I tried to defend Plumley but after reading the original Awards and Decorations and Personnel Records for him I now know what he really was.  He’s Manoian but more savvy by far than Manoian.  Plumley was able to dupe the world for years but not anymore.  If a few people still love Plumley after reading the documentation then you are part of the problem in the world today.

Remember Plumley even lied on his Reserve intake it seems.  He wrote on his Arm of Service, Infantry (Para-Troops)[27].  Plumley was neither Infantry (Artillery) nor Paratrooper (Glider).

Brian N. Siddall

November 25, 2015

The Last Nail in the Coffin of the Fake Plumley 

The Bayonet is the Fort Benning Newspaper and the front page on April 23, 1965 it shows Plumley wearing only one CIB, not two.  This clearly shows he was not in Korea during the war years.  If you look in the picture of his awards and decorations he had no Korea awards at all, none in the April 1965 picture.  The first picture is the full page, then two close-ups.  You can clearly see one CIB.  End of the story for the Plumley Lovers who believe in movies and not records.

Forget for a second Plumley wasn’t allowed to wear even the one in 1965.  Worse, in the 2010 picture taken at West Point, Plumley is wearing 3 CIBs.    How can Plumley be a hero when he was not in Korea until 1972 but wore three CIBs when he was in two wars and allowed to wear only one CIB?  All Plumley had to do when the book came out in 1992 was to say he wasn’t in the Korea war or when the movie came out and say the same thing, wasn’t in the war and never jumped into combat as a paratrooper. 

Below is a link showing another CSM who went to Ft. Leavenworth after being discovered as a fraud. Do you know the difference between Plumley and CSM Crump? Crump was still in the Army when exposed. Plumley was discovered after the fact.  That is the only difference.  If Plumley had been caught before leaving the Army he would have been convicted just like CSM Crump.

Congress in 1956 decided to protect people who committed fraud if they were lucky enough to have separated from the service before getting caught.  Once someone leaves the service (all branches) they can't investigate unless the soldier themselves gives the ok to investigate.  This is because of 10 U.S. Code § 1552 - Correction of military records that was created in 1956.  Here is the relevant sentence;

 (b)

No correction may be made under subsection (a)(1) unless the claimant (or the claimant’s heir or legal representative)

This would be like a bank robber who got away scot free but later the police found proof of the crime.  This means the police would have to ask his permission before doing any investigation. Of course in the real world that wouldn’t happen but in the Army that is exactly what has occurred. 

There was no investigation into CSM Plumley’s Awards and Decorations.  The Army can’t investigate unless the next of kin authorized it and that hasn’t happened in the Plumley case.  The Army calls them discrepancies.  That’s a nice way of saying they know he committed fraud, but they can’t review the records. 

Here is the link to the CSM Crump who was the head NCO at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.  The position of CSM gives them access to everyone’s records in a unit at that level.  Plumley’s fake awards happened when?  Right after Plumley became the CSM of the 3^rd Brigade in Vietnam.  Plumley was demoted after he left Vietnam and lost his position as a CSM at Brigade/Regimental level.  Plumley went back down to Battalion level and never rose again to Brigade Level of authority. 

Why people worship Plumley and Galloway I will never understand.  Instead of celebrating real heroes they look at Plumley and say he is what a soldier should be.  That means that Plumley lovers look to a fake hero and not to men and women who still die to this day overseas.  Why honor a real hero when you can worship an idolatry like Plumley?    

http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/archives/2013/03/27/ex-walter-reed-csm-sentenced-to-6-months/78535160/

Brian Siddall
January 5, 2017

Update to the Nail in the Coffin Article

(This is an email I received last night) (all documents listed below are here)

To webmaster@lzxray.com,

 I received an email last night January 19, 2017, where you stated this;

 “What he continues to overlook is that Plumley served in Korea in the early 70’s.  He could have been awarded the third CIB there.  Unfortunately, we will never know since the records are incomplete”.

I will give you the benefit of doubt about the statement above.  Plumley’s records including his service in 1972-73 while in Korea are complete.  (All records can be found at the top of the original records.

Attached (on pages one thru nine) once again is the regulations for the Combat Infantryman Badge and a complete record of his service from day one in 1942 to 1974. 

Page one from the May 1944 Circular for the eligibility for the CIB and that it is restricted to being in an assigned regiment or below, not attached. 

Page two is the cover sheet for the current Army Regulation 600–8–22 for the Award of the CIB.  On page three (page 96 in the regulations) highlighted in red shows the same eligibility for the CIB, assigned to an infantry unit, not attached.

Plumley was never assigned or for that matter attached to a an infantry regiment in WWII.  He was in the 320^th Gli FA Bn from start to finish.  If you look at page nine of the records I sent to you it shows every day where Plumley was from the day he joined to the day he left the Army on December 31, 1974.  It also shows the units he was in. 

Plumley was in WWII but was never qualified to wear the CIB as he was in an Artillery Arm of Service not Infantry.  Attached on page six it shows an Arm of Service for an infantryman.  On pages seven it shows an Arm of Service for an Artilleryman.  Page eight shows that Plumley was in an Artilleryman Arm of Service not Infantry.  So there was no CIB for Plumley in WWII.

In the second part of your email from last night you say that “we will never know as the records are incomplete”.  That is far from the truth.  Once again look to page nine of my attached documents and it shows where he was from day to the day Plumley retired.   

Now onto the Korea war and where Plumley was.  Plumley was in Ft. Campbell and then Germany during that time period, never in Korea until 1972.  Once again referrer to the records on page nine that shows where Plumley was for his entire career in the Army so Plumley still isn’t qualified to wear a CIB.

Now comes Plumley and that he did receive the CIB for his time in there.  Remember this was Plumley’s first CIB that met the criteria for that award.  Yet he was wearing a CIB in the April 1965 picture in the Bayonet newspaper.  His first CIB was in October of 1965.  So no doubt that he was wearing an award he was not entitled to.  What is now thought of as Stolen Valor.  Of all the awards wearing a CIB when not entitled is the worst of all the Stolen Valor awards. 

Let’s now move ahead to Plumley’s time in Korea between 1972 and 1973.  Yes he was in Korean and was on the DMZ.  Once again your claim that “we will never know” is wrong on its face.  But here is the rub.  Please refer to page four (page 97 in the regulations) highlighted first in red, WWII and Plumley did not meet the criteria for the CIB as he wasn’t in the infantry.  Then in green is the Korea conflict and once again Plumley did not meet the criteria as he wasn’t in that conflict at all.    

Highlighted in purple is the time period for receiving a CIB.  That goes from 2 March 1961 to 10 March 1995.  This is all inclusive (please see page five (page 97 in the regulations) in red).  On page four (page 96 in the regulations) you in your email referenced that.  But what you didn’t do was to read the next page that states it is all inclusive (please see page five (page 97 in the regulations) in red). 

This means a soldier can only receive one CIB for the time period of the Vietnam time between 2 March 1961 to 10 March 1995.  You can only receive one CIB for all of those conflicts.  That would be the same for WWII as an example.  If someone received a CIB while in the European Theater of Operation and then went to the Pacific Theater of Operations you would only be entitled to one CIB.

So your entire email from last night (January 19, 2017) was incorrect.  It shows clearly that Plumley was entitled to one CIB for his entire career and is backed up with this thing called documentation as opposed to your vague “well we’ll never know” line.

Why people are so fixated on a fraud like Plumley I can only assume they think a movie from Hollywood is a documentary when in fact it’s just a movie.  Here is a link to the CBS Report about Ia Drang in 1966.  Why the 1^st Cavalry doesn’t honor a real soldier who died there and is buried at Benning I will never know.  It’s sad that Plumley is buried in the same Cemetery as real heroes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDJwgp0vCeg

Brian Siddall

January 20, 2017

And A Taste of Plumley Lovers

This person Damon Suiter shows how dumb Plumley lovers are.  Attached is his message via Facebook back in May of 2016.  These people look at a movie and say it must be real, it’s a move.

They always come up with excuses for Plumley, always.  This Damon Suiter is a Facebook stalker.  He even stalks people through Groups like TBI Survivors and Caregivers Support Group.  It’s obvious he has neurological problems.

That still doesn’t excuse his message.  He and the other ilk look at Plumley like a father figure, a lying father figure but still a father figure. 

Attached is the documentation that refutes his assertions about his 3 CIB Awards.  First Suiter said since he was a Scout that made him infantry.  No, in WWII the MOS had nothing to do with the CIB qualifications.  You had to be assigned to an Infantry Regiment or below.  (page 8 of the accompanying documentation for the 1944 circular).  Now the MOS is part of receiving the CIB but even then you have to be assigned to an infantry unit (pages 9 & 10).  Please read pages 11 through 21 of the accompanying documentation.  Page 11 shows an infantry unit above Arm of Service.  Pages 12-21 show other various units (CE (Engineer), FA (Field Artillery), MD (Medical) etc. 

The only people who receive the CIB is Infantry, none of the other branches, hence the name CIB (Combat Infantryman’s Badge).  Suiter doesn’t seem to comprehend this.  It’s in black and white (pages 29-31). 

“The Last Nail in the Coffin of the Fake Plumley” article attached to this shows two things, one he wasn’t allowed to even wear one CIB in 1965.  Plumley wasn’t wearing two at that time because he was not in Korea until 1972. 

On to Suiter’s “The Army’s records are terrible”.  The Army records for Plumley are perfect for his records of assignments.  From the day Plumley joined the Army until the day he retired it shows here he was (page 7).  There are no missing dates there.  It clearly shows he was in Ft. Campbell during the time he claims he was in Korea.  Plumley never jumped in combat in WWII as he was a glider rider and wasn’t in Korea during the war years.

Plumley lovers always say leave a dead liar alone.  Sure, lets leave Hitler alone too as he’s dead now.  Facts are facts and Plumley lied since 1992 when the book came out.  He and Galloway are two peas in a pod.  Now that people are going after Galloway they say “why are you picking on an old man like Galloway”?  If people go after their fake heroes they get all bent out of shape.  These dumb people everywhere these days. 

It’s obvious that this Suiter has issues with reading comprehension.  Suiter hasn’t read the actually documentation at all.  His writing is at the level of an 8^th grader as well it seems. 

Plumley is only a hero in the movies, not in real life.  Most people have read all of the documentation and know how to comprehend what they read.  Someone like Suiter will never be able to believe that Plumley is a liar.  Jesus could show up and tell Plumley Lovers that he is a liar and he would say “Jesus, I love you but you’re wrong about Plumley”.  I think what really bothers these people are the fact that they joined the service after reading/seeing the book/movie.  Even today people see the book and join the service.  They don’t want to believe they were sold a pack of lies.  How many soldiers are dead because they bought into the We Were Soldiers Once book/movie? 

Attached to the Suiter message are some of the “more out there” people on FB (last 3 pages) including Nichole (Nicki Jo) Cordero who threatened to have me attacked and Albert Macias who posted this to a daughter of a WWII veteran.  It says a lot about those people as well.

Brian Siddall

March 8, 2017