NAVY CROSS MEDAL to
CAPTAIN JOHN W. RIPLEY
3rd Vietnamese
Marine Corps Infantry Bn., RVN Marines
Date Of Action: April 2, 1972
Citation:
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.