John Ripley (USMC)
| John Walter Ripley | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Nickname(s) | "Rip" |
| Born |
June 29, 1939 Keystone, West Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | October 28, 2008 (aged 69) Annapolis, Maryland, U.S. |
| Place of burial | U.S. Naval Academy |
| Allegiance |
 United States of America
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Marine Corps
|
| Years of service | 1957–1992 |
| Rank |
 Colonel
|
| Commands held | 4th Platoon, 2nd Force Reconnaissance Company, FMFLANT Lima Company 3rd Battalion 3rd Marines 1st Battalion 2nd Marines 2nd Marine Regiment |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
| Awards |
 Navy Cross Silver Star Legion of Merit (2) Bronze Star (2) Purple Heart
|
| Other work |
Southern Virginia University Hargrave Military Academy USMC History & Museums Division, Director |
John Walter Ripley (June 29, 1939 – October 28, 2008) was a United States Marine Corps officer who received the Navy Cross for his actions in combat during the Vietnam War. On Easter morning 1972, Captain Ripley repeatedly exposed himself to intense enemy fire over a three-hour period as he prepared to blow up an essential bridge in Dong Ha. His actions significantly hampered the North Vietnamese Army's advance into South Vietnam. The story of "Ripley at the Bridge" is legendary in the Marine Corps and is captured in a gripping diorama at the United States Naval Academy.
On October 28, 2009, the first biography about Col. Ripley was published. It was written by Norman Fulkerson and is titled An American Knight, The Life of Col. John W. Ripley.
John Walter Ripley was born on June 29, 1939 in Keystone, West Virginia and his family lived there until he was five years old. They then moved to Portsmouth, Ohio, where they remained for some years before finally settling in Radford, Virginia. John Ripley enlisted into the Marine Corps in 1957 at 17 years of age. A year later, he was appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy by the Secretary of the Navy. He graduated in 1962 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering, and received his commission as a Second Lieutenant. After completing The Basic School, he joined the Marine Detachment on the USS Independence (CV-62).
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