The Boys of Summer - Back home in Wartburg, Tennessee. WE THANK YOU, BUCKY AND TOMMY. Gene Buxton FOREVER IN YOUR DEBT. (Thank you, Jon Peters, for sending me the article!) A Special Salute If you were raised or lived in Wartburg in the 1950’s, you might have seen two little boys, Bucky Buxton and Tommy Reynolds running around. You might even have known them. Bucky and Tommy were the same age, were friends, and your run of the mill young boys who attended Wartburg elementary school together, but years later they accomplished heroic actions during their service to our country that few know about. Bucky Buxton is the son of the late Gene and Kathleen Buxton and the brother of the late Kay Buxton Hall. He went through grade school and high school in Wartburg and was a football player on his high school’s team. After graduating in 1965, he enrolled at Tennessee Tech for a year, but left to enlist in the Army. He went to jump school and became part of the 101st Airborne Division during the middle of the Vietnam War. At this point in Buckys life his story is best told in the Bronze Star citation he received. Eugene W. Buxton , Jr. AWARDS AND CITATIONS Bronze Star Awarded for actions during the Vietnam War The President of the United States of America, authorized by Executive Order 11046, 24 August 1962, takes pleasure in presenting the Bronze Star Medal with Combat V to Specialist Fourth Class Eugene W. Buxton, Jr., United States Army, for heroism in ground combat against a hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam on 7 May 1968. Specialist Fourth Class Buxton distinguished himself while serving with Troop B, 2d Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, in the vicinity of La Chu, Republic of Vietnam. He was walking point for the first platoon down a small trail. Specialist Buxton drew several rounds of sniper fire and his element hit the ground. Realizing the importance of immediate reaction, Specialist Buxton immediately began crawling and maneuvering to locate and destroy the enemy position. Although the enemy had initially fired at him and knew his location, he disregarded further enemy fire and was able to locate the bunker. He then placed effective fire on the bunker and killed the occupants. Specialist Buxtons initiative and speed of reaction were greatly material in maintaining the momentum of the attack, while preventing possible injury or death to his comrades. Specialist Fourth Class Buxtons personal bravery and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army. General Orders: Headquarters, 101st Airborne Division, General Orders No. 5662 (September 8, 1968) Action Date: May 7, 1968 Service: Army Rank: Specialist Fourth Class Company: Troop B Battalion: 2d Squadron Regiment: 17th Cavalry Regiment Division: 101st Airborne Division Bucky saw further action in Vietnam and received a 2nd Bronze Star, a Purple Heart medal from being wounded, and the Combat Infantrymans Badge. After the service, Bucky returned home, went back to college, became a pharmacist and raised a family. Bucky is a modest man. You would never know by talking with him that he was involved in such heroic actions. His friend, Tommy Reynolds, left Wartburg in the mid-1950s when his family moved to Covington, KY. He also enlisted in the Army after high school and found himself in the Vietnam War. Tommy was awarded the Bronze Star for his action of manning a machine gun providing cover fire for his unit which was pulling back under heavy attack. Tommy made the supreme sacrifice in this action. He was wounded and died days later in a hospital in the Philippines. He was the son of the late Moss and Grace Reynolds, brother of Bob Reynolds and Alice Reynolds Wallace. Neither of these boyhood friends from Wartburg ever knew the other was in the Army or in Vietnam. Each man was able to respond in a meritorious way in service to our country. We should always thank our veterans for their service. To the service veterans from Morgan County, we give a salute, especially to Tommy Reynolds and Bucky
Posted on: Sun, 11 Jan 2015 23:56:06 +0000