Raleigh County native Plumley (pictured right) served in three wars: World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. Born in Shady Spring, he enlisted in the Army in 1942 and fought at Salerno and Normandy. In the Korean War, he served with the 187th Airborne Infantry Regiment. During the Vietnam War, he was a sergeant major with the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment.

Plumley became famous for his role in the 1965 Battle of la Drang, the first major military conflict between U.S. and North Vietnamese forces. His story was told in the book We Were Soldiers Once . . . And Young and the movie We Were Soldiers, where he was portrayed by Sam Elliott.

Plumley earned over 30 awards, including the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and four Purple Hearts. He retired in 1974 and later worked in a hospital.