Daily Caller: Veterans Day alone doesn’t do the members of our armed services justice, especially considering stories like that of legendary United States Marine John Ripley.
Ripley spent 35 years of his life in the armed services, enduring two tours in Vietnam after which he was awarded two Bronze Stars, a Silver Star and a Purple Heart. However, Ripley is most remembered for the time he blew up a 200-meter-bridge by himself, single-handedly saving the lives of hundreds others. He attributes the unbelievable act to two people: God and his mother.
On Easter Sunday, April 2, 1972, an entire North Vietnamese army was preparing an attack on a group of 600 marines when Marine Corps Captain John Ripley felt the need to go beyond the call of duty. The only thing that stood between the hundreds of marines he was embedded with and certain death was a bridge and, despite being advised against it, Ripley blew that bridge all by himself.
Knowing that his chances of survival were near zero, Captain Ripley grabbed 40 pounds of explosives and got to work climbing hand-over-over hand across the bridge with his body suspended below. Ripley monkey-barred his way across the bridge, placing charges along the way while the enemy fired shots at him from across the river the entire time. He pushed his body beyond its limits as he continued to work, chanting “Jesus, Mary, Get me there” to keep himself from giving in. read more
Awesome story of valor. That Ripley is also a major force behind the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico makes it even better.
That is the absolute coolest museum I’ve ever seen. It takes well over 8 hours to see it completely. I had to do it in two trips.
Whoa… Brass ones… really big too.
Wow.
One heck of a feat. I can’t blow up a air mattress.
Wow! Easter Sunday, April 2, 1972. That was my birthday….. (…hits Easter every here and there.)
Thank you Capt. John Ripley, wherever you are. ….Lady in Red
Amazing! It’s hard to not feel insignificant when you learn about guys like that.
Ripley, believe it or not.
sorry, had to say it.
The Mighty Men of Valor. Wow.
Should be a movie . . .
Marine’s Marine, Marine Corps Col. John Ripley
Part1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=329&v=Gi6X5w4vWRM
Part2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=C5cHwnxbdX0
I’m not positive, but I’m pretty sure his portrait hangs in the Globe & Laurel restaurant in Quantico. I remember good old Concrete Bob relaying to me a story about himself and Ripley’s daughter, amongst others, entering the restaurant not too many years ago. Seeing the portrait they all started weeping. Upset the waitress until she found out that it was Ripley’s daughter, so she joined right in on the boo hoo.
I’d call old Bob to confirm, but he left us recently. I miss that guy.
Remembering hearing the story in country. It made us glad to be Americans and glad to be members of the Navy.
I remember our joke: How many marines does it take to blow a bridge? One, but he has to crawl all over it five times (Navy Frogmen would do it in one!) You had to be there.
The man was a stud. It’d make a great movie,but Hollywood would probably screw it up.
@cato. Great hyperlinks. Also leads to a video of Ripley’s funeral. That was something.
When I read accounts like this, I can’t imagine doing something as brave as John Ripley did. Reading accounts of our soldiers facing sure death and still going forward to do their jobs is an act of heroism that words do not exist to adequately describe. Reading some of the exploits of those at Pont Du Hoc, or the beaches of Normandy, and countless other examples, I realize how much we have to be thankful for, because of these hero’s. It angers me when I read of the David Hogg’s and Hollywood types who are ungrateful for the liberties they enjoy. They spit on the graves of those who gave so much.