George Edward “Sonny” Casmus ,of Big Creek, has been named Calhoun County Veteran of the month by the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary Unit 26.
He enlisted in the Army on Sept. 28, 1965. He served with the 173rd Airborne Brigade Separate with the rank of E-5 Sergeant. His first tour of duty in Vietnam was 1966-1967 and his 2nd tour of duty in Vietnam, was in the A Shau Valley, one of the strategic focal points of the war in Vietnam. It is located in western Thua Thien Province. This narrow 25-mile long valley being an arm of the Ho Chi Minh 
Trail funneling troops and supplies toward Hue and Danang. At the north end of the valley was the major North Vietnamese Army (NVA) staging area known as Base Area 611.
Because of its importance to the North Vietnamese plan for victory, the A Shau became a major battle ground from the earliest days of the American involvement in South Vietnam. Casmus stated that, “On May 14, 1971, I was one of a six-man patrol, looking for the enemy in the A Shau Valley. Suddenly we were taking on fire from an enemy ambush: we scattered and ran for cover. As I left the trail, ducking, lunging and diving, I plunged, slicing my shin on a punji stake booby trap which was made of sharpened bamboo stakes, often smeared with urine, feces, or another substance that would cause infection in a wounded soldier.”
These were often placed along trails or in rice patties. The medic cleaned and wrapped the wound to protect from infection. There was no rest. Sonny received the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with a Silver Star, the Vietnam Campaign Medal w/60 Device 3, Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, American Campaign Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Overseas Bars, three Service Stripes, Parachutist Badge, Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart Medal.
His wife is Sherry Litten Casmus, who is Treasurer for the DAVA #26. His children and granddaughter are Roger and wife Nichelle Casmus and their daughter Everleigh Rynne of St. Louis, MO and Justin Casmus of Eldon, MO.
Sonny and Sherry are members of the Houston, MS 1st Pentecostal Church. He is a member and Commander of the DAV Chapter 26 Calhoun County, a member of the Vietnam Veterans of America of Tupelo, the VFW of Bruce and a member and Commander of the Purple Heart Organization of Oxford.