The Shadow
With the United States preparing to celebrate its 250th anniversary, American communities are bound to reflect on the inspiring legacy of our country’s founding.
While the clamor of independence resonated among the colonists, achieving independence necessitated bold military action.
Thanks to General George Washington and the willingness of thousands to serve, the fight for independence ultimately succeeded.
The belief in America’s promise inspired the generations that followed to support and defend the U.S. Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
Throughout our 250 years of existence, our armed services have battled to protect our nation, albeit under treacherous conditions that accompany the affairs of war.
For our survival and success, American servicemembers sacrificed blood, sweat and tears.
We continue to honor such amazing sacrifices in numerous ways.
The Purple Heart, the oldest military award, is presented to those who have been killed or wounded in action.
Those recognized for heroic acts or meritorious achievements in combat receive the Bronze Star Medal.
There is no higher U.S. military decoration than the Congressional Medal of Honor.
In my 2025 Veterans Day column, I highlighted five figures with ties to the Ninth District that have received the Medal of Honor.
I am proud to say that the Ninth District will soon be home to a sixth!
The House recently passed my bill to award the Medal of Honor to Radford’s Colonel John Ripley.
Following graduation from Radford High School in 1957, Colonel Ripley committed to the Marine Corps.
However, he soon enrolled at the Naval Academy, graduated and returned to the Marine Corps to begin a storied ascent within the military.
By 1966, he was a Captain. The Marine Corps deployed him to help lead 3d Battalion, 3d Marines, “Lima” company in Vietnam. While he was wounded in action against the communist North Vietnamese forces, Ripley completed his tour.
However, Ripley would be called back into action in 1971.
Helping advise the 3rd Vietnamese Marine Battalion, he was stationed at Dong Ha Combat Base, which was in close proximity to the Demilitarized Zone.
As a result, the base was constantly under threat by North Vietnam.
This threat compounded when American forces began to evacuate from the region. The communists acted accordingly, launching the Easter Offensive. The 1972 spring attack represented their first large-scale attack into South Vietnam since the 1968 Tet Offensive.
As part of the communist offensive, they headed for the Dong Ha Bridge, a vital gateway into Dong Ha.
With allied forces in Dong Ha and South Vietnam in trouble, Ripley took decisive action.
Ripley climbed beneath the Dong Ha Bridge with a small stockpile of TNT.
For three hours under enemy fire, Ripley carefully worked to plant five boxes of TNT and plastic explosives along the bridge’s five different channels.
Despite exposing himself to the enemy, Ripley finished his daring work and returned to shore.
The fuses detonated, and the bridge blew up!
Ripley’s decisive action at Dong Ha helped stall the North Vietnamese advance and bought time for allied forces in South Vietnam to regroup ahead of the surprise invasion.
The eventual fall of South Vietnam deflated U.S. military morale, but it did not deter Ripley from serving his country.
He served in various capacities as a Marine Corps officer, most notably leading trainings in the Arctic.
Ripley never forgot his ties to rural Virginia.
At one time, Ripley commanded the Navy-Marine Corps ROTC at Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia.
After his retirement in 1992, Ripley served as president of Southern Virginia College in Buena Vista, Virginia, and later as president of Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Virginia.
In 2008, Ripley passed away.
I am honored to share Colonel Ripley’s remarkable service in the Halls of Congress. His courageous actions at Dong Ha will stand the test of time and deserve to be a fixture for future generations aspiring to serve.
While his inspiring journey of service has drawn countless accolades, I am no less excited to move forward a bill that will award a legendary Ninth District servicemember the most prestigious of honors.
If you have questions, concerns, or comments, feel free to contact my office. You can call my Abingdon office at 276-525-1405 or my Christiansburg office at 540-381-5671. To reach my office via email, please visit my website at https://morgangriffith.house.gov/. Also on my website is the latest material from my office, including information on votes recently taken on the floor of the House of Representatives.
