THE WALL OF FACES

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. We should be forever thankful for the sacrifices of you and so many others to ensure the freedoms we so often take for granted.

Dear Cap. Gerald Plunkett, Thank you for your service as a Rotary Wing Aviation Unit Commander. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. Memorial Day is in a few days when the nation remembers all our lost. Time passes quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage and faithfulness, especially now. Rest in peace with the angels.

IN REMEMBRANCE OF THIS FINE
CAREER UNITED STATES ARMY AVIATION OFFICER
WHOSE NAME SHALL LIVE FOREVER MORE

CAPTAIN

GERALD  WESLEY  PLUNKETT


proudly served with 


COMPANY ' B '

1st AVIATION BATTALION

1st AVIATION REGIMENT

1st INFANTRY DIVISION

" THE BIG RED ONE "

as a pilot of a

BELL UH-1H HELICOPTER

( UH-1H  # 67-17552 )


and later became a 
posthumous recipient 
of the following 
military decorations 
and service medals

PURPLE HEART

AIR MEDAL

NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL

VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL with four bronze service stars

REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM CAMPAIGN SERVICE MEDAL


and was entitled to wear


ARMY AVIATOR WINGS


HE  RESTS  IN  HONORED  GLORY  IN 
 
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY


For further information,

please see remembrance for


MAJOR GENERAL

KEITH LINCOLN WARE

Commanding General

of the

1st INFANTRY DIVISION

" THE BIG RED ONE "  



YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN
NOR SHALL YOU EVER BE


R E M E M B R A N C E


====================

On September 13, 1968, a U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H (tail number 67-17552) from A Company, 1st Aviation Battalion, crashed after losing five feet of the aircraft’s tail boom due to ground fire. The helicopter was on a 20-ship battalion combat lift near Loc Ninh during poor weather with a ceiling at approximately 700' when it was shot down by an enemy .51 caliber heavy machine gun. Eight persons were killed in the incident. The pilot attempted autorotating the damaged helicopter, but the rotorhead separated from the mast and the aircraft hit the ground traveling down and sideways. The gunner, SP4 Raymond E. Lanter, jumped before reaching the ground but did not survive. Seven other personnel on board perished in the crash. They included aircraft commander CPT Gerald W. Plunkett, pilot CW2 William Manzanares Jr., and crew chief SP5 Jose D. Guiterrez-Velazques. The lost passengers were MGEN Keith L. Ware, SMAJ Joseph A. Venable, LTC Henry M. Oliver, and 1LT Steven L. Beck. MGEN Ware’s white German Shepard, “King,” was also killed. [Taken from vhpa.org, armyaircrews.com, and vvmf.org]

Jerry was my first roommate in VN. We served together in the Big Red One, and for a week, I had the great honor of flying MG Ware with Jerry, filling in for his copilot, Bill Manzanares. On this Memorial Day, 2016, I mourn the loss of my fellow Tennessean, fellow aviator, fellow First Division soldier and grieve at his tragic death at such a young age. Rest in peace, Jerry.