Master Sergeant Alderman's combat experiences included serving in Vietnam ten consecutive years from 1963-1972 as a member of Special Forces detachments as light weapons NCO, heavy weapons NCO, engineer sergeant, intelligence sergeant, Project Delta, and MACV SOG as a reconnaissance team leader and advisor. While serving in Project Delta in 1966, he helped to establish MACV Recondo School by writing lesson plans and serving as an instructor between combat operations. He wrote a training manual for the Vietnamese Delta Reconnaissance Unit. He served as Recon team leader Blackjack A-504 Waterborne Operations.

Master Sergeant Alderman was selected as original cadre for the 1st Ranger Battalion in January 1974 and served in various leadership and staff positions until August 1976. He then served in Germany in the 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) until 1979. He was selected by the Ranger Department to be the first noncommissioned officer guest speaker in 1980.

Master Sergeant Alderman retired from the Army in November 1980 after serving as the First Sergeant of Headquarters and Headquarters Company of 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne).

Through out his service, MSG Alderman was awarded the Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Soldier's Medal, six Bronze Stars (four with V Device), Meritorious Service Medal, five Air Medals (two with V Device), three Purple Hearts, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, and six Army Commendation Medals (two with V Device).

Master Sergeant Alderman's distinguished career is an inspiration to all with whom he served. He truly exemplifies the motto "Rangers Lead the Way."
 

Joe Alderman grew up in the mountains of southern West Virginia. I graduated form Big Creek High School in 1964. Joe was "a legend in his own time". He enlisted for service, and was one of the first Big Creek "Owls" to serve in Viet Nam. He played football at BCHS and was a "standard" for which we were all "to play". When he came home on leave, he was appropriately given "hero" status.

For those who want to understand the environment he left, you must see the movie "October Sky!" The movie is a realistic portrayal of life in the coalfields of West Virginia - expressed through the viewpoint of Homer "Sonny" Hickam, the son of a coal mine superintendent and classmate of Joe. The only choices to graduates at that time were to work in the mines, win an athletic scholarship to college, move out of state for a job in the automotive industry, or go into "service". Joe was an outstanding athlete and was very bright - he CHOSE to enter the "service".

The Viet Nam "conflict" was a very divisive war, with unprecedented antiwar sentiment thru the terms of Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon. Over the antiwar voices of Fonda and Kerry, Joe Alderman led a "War Moratorium" at Marshall College (now, Marshall University) that received national news coverage.

I am proud to have known him and equally proud to to have followed in his footsteps in Viet Nam ( although, I must acknowledge that my footstep was not near as large as his). Had he chosen to work in the mines, attended college on an athletic scholarship, or worked in the automotive industry, I have no doubt that he would have had a stellar career and left a clear path for others to follow.

As my timeline closely parallels his, I can only hope that my children pursue their specific careers with the same deciveness, competence, and commitment to duty that was demonstrated by MSG Joseph C. Alderman throughout his stellar career.

... and may God have mercy on his soul. God Bless and God Speed! JHG