Stanley Blunt, Ret. Captain, U.S. Army, died Jan. 2, 2019, in Saint Francis Hospital, Federal Way, Washington. Stanley was to turn 76 years old on Jan. 30. He was born and raised in Cañon City, Colorado, to Virginia Ludwig and Joseph Stanley Blunt. The son of a mining pioneer family that was instrumental in the development of the mining industry in Colorado. Stanley was an adventurous youth who filled his time with sports and hunting. His sisters have fond memories of him riding his bicycle to school with his pet pigeon, Pidgie, on his shoulder. Pidgie would then perch herself on the school fire escape before accompanying him home. He and his beloved Irish setter, Rusty, spent hours together in the red Dodge pickup and adventuring in the mountains. A bit of a “hot wire,” Stan is also remembered for riding his motorcycle up the steps of his high school and into the school hallway and for borrowing the city steamroller and driving it down Main St. before jumping and busting a curb—the latter may have occurred while his father was the mayor.
Stan enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1963. His military training included Officer Candidate School, Airborne School, Ranger School (top of his class), Special Forces, and Jungle School. His first tour in Vietnam was with the 1st Battalion of the 503 Brigade of the 173rd Airborne. He served four tours of duty in Vietnam—three of which followed a near-fatal combat injury, an injury that should have prevented him from returning to the field. Blunt, however, fervently believed that young soldiers were not being adequately trained for jungle combat and, as an experienced officer, he felt it was his duty to be there for “kids” going into Vietnam. After more than a year of rehabilitation and determined to return to action, he falsified medical documents that would have required him to wear a steel helmet at all times and imit his activities in Vietnam, went AWOL from Fort Carson and travelled to Washington DC to appeal his case directly. By August of 1968, he was a captain serving as an advisor to a Vietnamese battalion of the 1st Army, Republic of Vietnam.
In November 1969, he saved the lives of at least 22 trapped Americans for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. He received numerous other citations during his 13- year military career, including at least one Silver Star, seven Bronze Stars, and two Purple Hearts. In honor of his service, a classroom building, Blunt Hall, is named after him at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. He was medically discharged in 1975.
In 1975, he left on a solo, around-the-world sailing adventure on the RuPiPaKi, a 25-foot, single-mast, full-keeled Marieholm International Folkboat — no motor. Endearingly, the RuPiPaKi was named after Rusty (Ru), Pidgie (Pi), and “a loved one (he) left behind” whom he affectionately called Partner/Kid “PaKi,” His goal was to learn more about himself, other cultures and ethnicities and to view America as seen from around the world. Newspapers both here and abroad chronicled some of his adventures, including a few of the more harrowing and notable moments: falling from the boat without a tether, barely making it to shore after being stung by sea anemones, days adrift on a windless sea, and countless experiences and friendships formed upon landfall. His extraordinary letters home from wherever he was are an archive to be treasured. Four years later, on Dec. 5, 1979, he returned to the U.S., passing under the Golden Gate Bridge and reportedly shouting “I LOVE this country!”
Following his travels, Stanley had a son, Reagan W. Mount (deceased). He lived in Thailand for several years advocating the rights of the poor, and was actively involved in the search for American POWs. There he met his ex-wife, Kunchalee, and enjoyed later years in Aberdeen, Washington, with his daughter Sonya. In Aberdeen, Stanley was very active in local politics and an advocate for the working class. He was considered to be “The Voice” to the County Commission, and campaigned for the position of Grays Harbor County Sheriff. While he was tough concerning his political beliefs, his heart was warm, especially toward all the local abandoned street dogs he would frequently foster and/or keep for himself.
General MacArthur said, “Old soldiers never die, they just fade away”. Well, Captain Stanley Blunt never faded away. Till the end he was cantankerous, opinionated, a tough man with a big heart and always fighting for the America he believed in. He was a true warrior and a great friend; a man who always led from the front.
