MORE ON BATTLE THAT CHANGED THE WAR IN VIETNAM

Have you heard about the Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipient from Western Pennsylvania who was captured while working in the Pentagon and held captive for decades in a rural hamlet in Eastern North Carolina?

That would be Colonel Joe Marm, U.S. Army (Ret.).  He shared his story with me recently, “My date for a 1986 military ball in Washington was a farmer’s daughter from Fremont, NC.  By day, she was a caseworker for Senator Jesse Helms.”

Basically, that’s how the capture began.  In 1987, Marm and Deborah Yelverton were married.  In 1995, he retired with 30 years military service.  The family moved to Fremont, NC where they became involved with Deborah’s family hog farm business, Yelverton Farms.

Now, for the Medal of Honor part – not as Pollyannaish as the capture.

His 1964 diploma and degree in finance from Duquesne University was just five days old when Joe Marm realized he might be drafted into the Army versus starting his march towards Wall Street.  “I went to Army Officer Candidate School via the college option program, graduating in April, 1965.  After completing Ranger School, I was ordered to Fort Benning – rumors were, that was a sure ticket to Vietnam.”

The rumors were correct – by November 14, 1965, 2^nd Lieutenant Joe Marm and his Alpha Company, 1^st Battalion, 7^th Cavalry Regiment, 1^st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) were engaged in the first major battle of the Vietnam War – the Battle of la Drang Valley.

As a note, this battle was well chronicled in WE WERE SOLDIERS ONCE…AND YOUNG, the best-selling book written by COL Hal Moore and war correspondent, Joe Galloway – more on this later.

Marm picks up the story, “It was pretty quiet when we were inserted, but it heated up very quickly.  One of our platoons was facing annihilation as they were cut off and surrounded by enemy troops.  My platoon’s rescue attempt of the trapped men stalled in the face of heavy resistance from a bunker filled with North Vietnam regulars – we started taking heavy casualties.”

Excerpts from after-action reports tell more of that story than would Marm, “Showing indomitable courage and facing enemy forces estimated at regimental size, 2^nd LT Joe Marm ordered the bunker hand-grenaded.  When that failed to destroy the bunker, he personally fired an anti-tank missile at the bunker.  When that failed, he made a 30-meter dash through open enemy fire and dropped a hand grenade into the bunker.  That worked well, and Marm eliminated survivors of the bunker with his M-16.”

Congress was even more succinct when wording Marm’s Medal of Honor citation, “For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty in la Drang Valley, Republic of Vietnam on November 14, 1965.”

COLONEL JOE MARM, US ARMY (RET.)
MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT

Marm fills in a missing point, “During the assault, I was hit in my left jaw.  The bullet exited through my right jaw, it certainly ruined my day!  By the grace of God, it missed my juggler vein by an inch or two.  I was airlifted out and hospitalized for 90 days in the States.”

His Medal of Honor was presented by Secretary of the Army, Stanley R. Resor, on December 19, 1966.  “I don’t know if President Lyndon Johnson was in town that day or not -- if so, he was keeping a low profile in regards to Vietnam.” 

At his request, and after signing multiple waivers, then Captain Marm returned for a one-year combat tour in Vietnam in 1969, during which he commanded an infantry company in the field.

During his Army career, Marm completed the Infantry Officers Advanced Course, Armed Forces Staff College, and earned a master’s degree in psychology from the University of Georgia.  He also served as a Ranger School instructor and taught at West Point.  He retired as a colonel.

    

As of 2016, the Marms have four children and eight grands.  Two of their sons are in the Army.  Deborah Marm serves on the staff of both U.S. Congressmen Walter Jones and George Holding.

Per Joe Marm, now 74, “Deborah is a good Methodist and I am a good Catholic – we also enjoy going to each other’s churches.”

From his travel schedule, it is obvious there are many demands on a Medal of Honor recipient – such as the several hours he generously shared with Bill Trivette, of the West Point Society, and me. “It could take all my hours, but I am honored to wear the medal – I am just a caretaker of the medal for thousands of others who served, many of whom made the ultimate sacrifice.”

JOE MARM PATIENT, KIND AND ENDURING TO WOULD-BE WRITERS

Don’t miss this part – Joe Galloway will be speaking at a luncheon engagement sponsored by the West Point Society on June 1, 2016 at Grandover Resort – Medal of Honor recipient Joe Marm will be in attendance as well. 

 BEAUTIFUL HOME OF DEBORAH & JOE MARM
IN TREMONT, NORTH CAROLINA

Until seating capacity is breached, reservations may be made at https://secure.west-point.org/wps-piedmont/luncheon/.

Contact Harry Thetford at htthetford@aol.com

THE GERMANS JUST THOUGHT THE WAR WAS OVER FOR PAUL DALLAS

Fayetteville's Paul Dallas was sharply dressed in his American Ex-Prisoner of War blazer when we first met in a Greensboro restaurant.  Hesitant to stare at his impressive array of medals, I suggested he must have held every AXPOW position, “Yes, I have – local, state and national,” came his straightforward reply.

PAUL DALLAS HAS SERVED IN EVERY AXPOW LEADERSHIP POSITION

Due to time restraints, we parted with my encouragement that he write a book about his experiences.  He had a straightforward reply for that too, “Nobody would want to read about me!”

Several weeks later, he called from his home in Fayetteville, “You suggested I write a book.  Well, I’ve started it three times, only to lose everything in computer crashes – would you help me?”

It was my straightforward answer this time, “You bet!”

The Dallas farm in East Central Mississippi had 60 acres under cultivation when the 1943 draft notice came for Paul Dallas, the oldest son and primary farm hand.  “My father begged for a deferment until the crops were laid by.  One day I hauled the last wagon-load of corn to the barn, the next day I reported to Camp Shelby.”

Dallas had never ridden a train or been out of the state of Mississippi.  A troop train ride to the Port of Debarkation at Newport News, Virginia filled in both blanks.  “Traveling through the Carolinas, I told my buddies we couldn’t grow collards or turnips in Mississippi like we kept seeing along the way.  Quietly, someone explained to me we were seeing something new to me -- tobacco!” 

MISSISSIPPI FARM BOY ADDRESSED SENATORS &
CONGRESSMEN ABOUT VETERANS ISSUES

His first boat ride got Dallas to Italy just in time to leave for the Invasion of Southern France in August, 1944.  The day after Thanksgiving, his infantry company was over-run by German tanks, Dallas was captured.

Several POW camps later, bookending an inhumane six days and nights locked in a rail-car without food or water, Dallas was among 40 prisoners sent to the forced labor camp at Runddorf – in Eastern Germany, near the borders of Poland and Czechoslovakia.

“We worked seven days a week cutting ice blocks from frozen ponds, cleaning out sewage ditches, and digging tank traps for the rapidly approaching Russian Army.  The German guards knew they would be shot on sight when the Russians arrived, so the 32 surviving POWs and the seven German guards all left the camp, walking in the direction of Allied Forces.

Days later, we were intercepted by the Russians.  They machine-gunned the guards and marched us towards Russia – to Siberia, we surmised.”

After two weeks of walking eastward, the group reached Sagan, Poland and Luft III, where they were deloused, examined, and treated by Russian doctors.  Finally, the POWs were placed on trucks and sent back towards American lines – on the way, they learned they had missed V-E Day.

“It was a long hard struggle, but I never lost my faith – in God that His strength was sufficient, in the Army that they would eventually rescue me, and in my family that they were praying for me. 

For sure, I was one happy guy to reach Le Havre, France and see ships at the dock ready to carry us home!  POWs received priority passage, so all I needed was a quick OK by a doctor,” exclaimed Dallas.

The OK was not forthcoming.  He passed out when leaving the doctor’s tent.  Five weeks later he woke up from a coma, only to lapse a few hours later into a second coma, this time for two weeks.  “I peeked at my chart while being stretchered onto a hospital ship.  I had spinal meningitis, double pneumonia and hepatitis – conflicted by other medical issues and malnutrition.”  

Dallas was treated in Army hospitals in New York, Georgia and Florida before receiving a medical discharge in 1946.  Over the summers before graduating from Mississippi State University, Dallas sold Bibles in North Carolina, whereupon he made the decision to call North Carolina home.

Although Dallas kept his WW II and POW experiences private and unmentioned for 40 years, his advocacies and involvement for the past 30 years are legendary.  He has, indeed, held every AXPOW office.  He has addressed both Senate and Congressional Committee regarding veterans affairs.   He and his wife have served as National Services Officers and assisted veterans all over the country.

DORIS & PAUL DALLAS HAVE ADVOCATED FOR
VETERANS ACROSS AMERICA

He worked several years for the Public Works Commission of the City of Fayetteville and later retired as District Manager of the Lumbee River Electric Membership Corporation in Red Springs, NC.

DALLAS TOOK VETERANS ISSUES TO THE TOP!

Dallas, now 91, married Doris Cole Temple in 1974, they are of the Methodist faith.  Their combined families include five children, six grands, and seven great-grands.

Harry Thetford is a retired Sears Store Manager who enjoys writing about veterans.  Contact him at htthetford@aol.com