West Virginia. After two years of high-school, he worked as a chauffeur/driver before enlisting in the US Army on March 31, 1942. In 1949, Plumley married Deurice Dillon (September 26, 1923 – May 28, 2012), who died on May 28, 2012, after 63 years of marriage. Plumley died of cancer after nine days in Columbus Hospice (Columbus, Georgia), on October 10, 2012. He is survived by his daughter, Debbie Kimble, a granddaughter, and two great-grandchildren. In popular culture Plumley was a prominent and central figure in the 1992 book We Were Soldiers Once… and Young by Lt. Gen Hal Moore and Joseph L. Galloway about the Battle of Ia Drang and was portrayed by actor Sam Elliott in the 2002 film adaption. Awards and decorations There have been disputes about the medals and decorations Plumley was entitled to wear. Brian Siddall, an independent researcher, alleged in 2015 that Plumley wore unauthorized combat and valor awards that exaggerated his wartime achievements. The U.S. Army has stated that there is no evidence of a substantial error in the recording of Plumley's decorations and has noted that the personnel records of the army are not uncommonly in error, especially during war time and prior to digital filing. Awards and decorations (Army memo from 2015) CSM Plumley also received 3 fourragères: World War II War Cross from France and Belgium as well as the Orange Lanyard from The Netherlands. References 1920 and 1930 US census for Raleigh County, West Virginia US Army enlistment records of World War II 7th U.S. Cavalry Regiment Association 1920 births 2012 deaths Deaths from cancer in Georgia (U.S. state) United States Army soldiers United States Army personnel of World War II United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War Recipients of the Silver Star Recipients of the Legion of Merit Recipients of the Air Medal Recipients of the Gallantry Cross (Vietnam) Recipients of the Croix de guerre (Belgium) Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 (France) Recipients of the Order of Saint Maurice Battle of Ia Drang United States Army personnel of the Korean War People from Raleigh County, West Virginia Military personnel from West Virginia