Someone You Should Know :: Someone You Should Know :: NAVY CROSS CITATION ~ Runboard
Community logo

Support Our Troops
Powered By Ringsurf
God Bless America
Powered By Ringsurf
 location_boardlink
 Someone You Should Know
  NAVY CROSS CITATION
Support
Search
RSS

runboard.com       Sign up (learn about it) | Sign in (lost password?)


 
praying4patience
Administrator
Global user

Registered: 03-2006
Posts: 102
Avatar
Reply | Quote
NAVY CROSS CITATION


 Some one You Should Know.
Navy Cross Citation, USMC Captain John W. Ripley, Advisor, 3rd Vietnamese Marine Corps Infantry Bn.

The Navy Cross is awarded to Captain John W. Ripley, United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism on 2 April 1972 while serving as the Senior Marine Advisor to the Third Vietnamese Marine Corps Infantry Battalion in the Republic of Vietnam.

Upon receipt of a report that a rapidly moving, mechanized, North Vietnamese army force, estimated at reinforced divisional strength, was attacking south along Route #1, the Third Vietnamese Marine Infantry Battalion was positioned to defend a key village and the surrounding area.

It became imperative that a vital river bridge be destroyed if the overall security of the northern provinces of Military Region One was to be maintained.

Advancing to the bridge to personally supervise this most dangerous but vitally important assignment, Captain Ripley located a large amount of explosives which had been prepositioned there earlier, access to which was blocked by a chain-link fence.

In order to reposition the approximately 500 pounds of explosives, Captain Ripley was obliged to reach up and hand-walk along the beams while his body dangled beneath the bridge.

On five separate occasions, in the face of constant enemy fire, he moved to points along the bridge and, with the aid of another advisor who pushed the explosives to him, securely emplaced them.

He then detonated the charges and destroyed the bridge, thereby stopping the enemy assault.

By his heroic actions and extraordinary courage, Captain Ripley undoubtedly was instrumental in saving an untold number of lives. His inspiring efforts reflected great credit upon himself, the Marine Corps, and the United States Naval Service.

---
ImageImage
12/6/2008, 4:29 am send email  to praying4patience   send pm  to praying4patience
 









Link to us   -  Blogs   -  Hall of Honour   -  Chat
You are not logged in (login)      Board's time is: 11/30/2009, 4:04 am
Back To Top