Knox NCO killed in Iraq

Turret Online ^ | Feb. 12, 2004 | Fort Knox Public Affairs Office

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Knox NCO killed in Iraq

Staff Sgt. Richard Ramey of the 703rd EOD died Sunday from an explosion in Mahmudiyah, Iraq.

Fort Knox Public Affairs Office

Staff Sgt. Richard Ramey, 27, of Canton, Ohio, a Soldier with the Fort Knox-based 703rd Explosive Ordnance Disposal Detachment, died in Mahmudiyah, Iraq, Sunday of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated.

Ramey, an explosive ordnance disposal specialist had been stationed at Fort Knox since April 9, 2001. He had been in the Army since 1995.

Approximately 15 Soldiers from the 703rd are in Iraq. The detachment deployed in September for a six-month rotation.

At Fort Knox the 703rd has the mission of disarming or rendering inactive any ordnance or improvised device on post and approximately half of Kentucky and Indiana. It also provides support to the FBI, the Secret Service, and Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, as well as all other federal and civilian law enforcement agencies.

The incident is under investigation.

Ramey's funeral will be held in Canton at a date to be determined. A memorial is set at Fort Knox tomorrow in the Main Post Chapel at 10 a.m.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Those killed during Operation Iraqi Freedom

Army Staff Sgt. Richard P. Ramey

 
Army Staff Sgt. Richard P. Ramey, 27, of Canton, Ohio; assigned to the 703rd Ordinance Company, Fort Knox, Ky., supporting the 82nd Airborne Division; killed Feb. 8 when an improvised explosive device detonated in Mahmudiyah, Iraq.

• • • • •

Killed: February 08, 2004

---

Ohio soldier killed in Iraq was nearing stateside assignment

Associated Press

CANTON, Ohio — When an Ohio soldier killed in Iraq was once asked as a third grader what he wanted to do when he grew up, he wrote to his teacher: “I’ll go to war and fight.”

“The teacher called and was a little alarmed and I said, ‘No, that’s my son,”’ recalled the mother of Army Staff Sgt. Richard Ramey, Julie Ramey.

Ramey, 27, of Canton, was killed Feb. 8 in an attack in Mahmudiyah, Iraq, 20 miles south of Baghdad as insurgents attacked separate Army convoys with explosives, the Pentagon said. Three other soldiers were wounded.

He was assigned to the 703rd Ordnance Company out of Fort Knox, Ky., and was supporting the work of the 82nd Airborne Division, the Pentagon said.

Ramey was the 20th Ohioan killed in the war. He served in the Army for 8½ years.

He was sent to Iraq in September and was looking forward to an assignment in Alaska beginning in late March, said his father, Jerry Ramey.

Photos of Ramey in his uniform and of his 1995 graduation hung on a wall and a mantle of the Rameys’ home. Next to it was a graduation photo of his younger sister, Sarah.

“It’s going to be tough, but we’ll get through it,” Jerry Ramey said.

Julia Ramey said she and her husband were proud of his service.

“Richard loved to do his job. No matter where it would take him,” she said. “He really felt deeply that he wanted to protect people that couldn’t protect themselves.”

In a statement released through Fort Knox, the family said, “He was adventurous and smart, combining both qualities in what he did for the Army. We knew his work was dangerous but also knew he wouldn’t have wanted to do anything else.”

Ramey graduated in 1995 from suburban Perry High School, according to Mark H. Dean, principal of the 1,200-student school. The school likely will honor Ramey by hanging a memorial plaque with his photograph, Dean said.

Bob Kilpatrick, who had Ramey in his English class, said Ramey was “a solid kid who worked hard and tried to do as much as he could right.”

He said the Perry faculty learned about Ramey’s death on Feb. 9. “It was a sad, sad day. It just made the rest of the day kind of sad,” he said.

Ramey played offensive guard with the Perry football team and was a teammate of Kilpatrick’s son. Ramey looked forward to his military service, according to Kilpatrick, “not to get his college paid for. He actually wanted to serve.”

A Feb. 12 memorial service for Ramey was scheduled in the Main Post Chapel at Fort Knox.

Ramey was the second soldier from the 703rd killed in Iraq, according to Connie Shaffery, a Fort Knox spokeswoman.

Staff Sgt. Kimberly A. Voelz, 27, of Carlisle, Pa., who was assigned to the 703rd along with her husband, was killed Dec. 14 in Iskandariyah, Iraq. She died in her husband’s arms hours after an improvised explosive device she was trying to defuse went off.

http://www.militarycity.com/valor/2634469.html 

 

 

 

Staff Sgt. Richard P. Ramey

703rd Ordnance Company

Some gave all.

 

 

 

 

         

 

 

 

[Swanks]

Just a kid. Damn. Life is hard...

[SAMWolf]

Staff Sgt. Richard P. Ramey

[international american]

My prayers go out to Richard and his family.

[blackie]

Prayers for a fallen hero.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

A memorial is set at Fort Knox tomorrow in the Main Post Chapel at 10 a.m.

Feb. 13 - Friday, not Feb. 12th, as the second article states.

[faithincowboys]

I must say i have a great difficulty with such stories. Terribly sad.

I know we couldn't have won any war in the past, if all we saw was negative stories and Americans who died.

Our media is a column in the enemies army--and it can't be denied.

[McGavin999]

Thank you Richard.

[archy]

Redfenders ping! EOD and engineer demo, we've lost another from the 703rd at Knox.

[U S Army EOD]

Well when I go to the annual EOD ball in May at Eglin this year we are going to have to listen to a lot of names being read out. The EOD community always invites the family members of the fallen to these events.

[U S Army EOD]

Every time I read one of these post, I wonder how many of these are the sons and daughters of the men I served with back in the 60's and 70's.

[onyx]

Dear Lord. I am sickened by the loss of this man's young life, and by the others as well. Praying for their souls and for their families to be strong.

[serurier]

Very sad ...... bless his family .

[SLB]

Ragtime Cowgirl - thanks for posting.

I work right next to the 703rd compound. When I left this evening the chain link fence around their facility was covered with yellow ribbons. I will be at the memorial service tomorrow. The 703rd sent 15 soldiers off to Iraq and two have died - hard to take. Also, tomorrow my son will be 27.

[archy]

I work right next to the 703rd compound. When I left this evening the chain link fence around their facility was covered with yellow ribbons. I will be at the memorial service tomorrow. The 703rd sent 15 soldiers off to Iraq and two have died - hard to take. Also, tomorrow my son will be 27.

And this was the other one:

SSG Kim A. [Fahnstalk] Voelz, EOD, R.I.P.

[Squantos]

Please send my condolences to the family and friends of the EOD troop killed SLB.......Thanks !

Stay Safe !

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank God for this hero and his loved ones!

[SLB]

I just returned from the memorial service for SSG Ramey. The husband of SSG Volez, SSG Max Voelz provided the soldier's remarks portion. A very moving service. Glad to say that even though today is the beginning of a four day holiday for the soldiers at Ft Knox the chapel was almost filled. The Louisville/Jefferson County Metro PD bomb disposal unit was there, all of the local Fire Departments and Law Enforcement agencies were also well represented. Needless to say, the post commander, MG Terry Tucker was there.

I gave the regards of the Free Republic EOD community to SSG Ramey's dad and mom. They seemed at this time to be holding up very well. Make sure you keep them and all parents, wives, husbands, sons and daughters, mothers and fathers of our armed forces in your prayers.

[Squantos]

Thank You SLB...........Stay Safe !

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank you so much for sharing this with us! Indeed, I shall keep all of them in my prayers.

[U S Army EOD]

I really appreciate you doing that.

[SLB]

I tried to see the soldiers from Ft Knox off last year and welcome them home this year. It is sad that some of those returning ceremonies are with the next of kin.

The really sobering part of the memorial service was the entire pew of wives of the memebers of the 703rd that are still in Iraq. They are SO young! Many younger than my own daughters or my son who happened to turn 27 today, the same age as SSG Ramey.

[U S Army EOD]

I was all of 23 years old when I was promoted to captain. I kind of wonder how I did it. I was 28 when I was in Vietnam and one of the oldest in the unit.

I think I felt more mature then than I do now.

[SLB]

Let me add a small story from the service as told by SSG Max Voelz, the widower of SSG Kim Voelz. This is a paraphrase, but very close:

Last fall right before deployment to Iraq the members of the 703rd were on one of the Ft Knox ranges with the Barrett .50 cal rifle. The targets were helium filled balloons. At the completion of the range, SSG Ramey took the left over balloons, inflated them and filled the commanders office with them from floor to ceiling. My kind of prank.

[Riley]

My kind of prank.

Oh, don't get me started on service pranks. A buddy of mine made the skipper freak out so many times that he's probably collecting PTSD disability by now.

[SLB]

I was all of 23 years old when I was promoted to captain.

Yep, I was a 20 year old buck sergeant. I wanted to spend my 21st birthday on R&R in Australia, but missed it by about a week. I think I was more mature in many ways at 20 - 21 than I see in some of the soldiers now who are in their 30's.

[U S Army EOD]

During the ATT at Redstone Arsenal, we had one of our detachments get bored (I will not give names or unit number), steal a post maintnance vehicle and work clothes. They made up a work order to paint the missles at the main gate. They showed the work order to the MP's at the gate explaining they had to use PINK paint primer first. Right out in front of God and everybody on a Sunday, they proceded to paint the missles pink and that is the color they were on the next Monday.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank you so much for sharing that!

[Squantos]

EOD Prank 101........fill yer commanders umbrella with a dozen packs of koolaid and fold it back up. When it rains and yer CO pops open the umbrella trying to be fashionable and dry he'll get doused with dry cool aid and toss down the umbrella and then look like a big box of crayolas best as the rain works the koolaid into his Class B's.......

EOD Prank 102.......replace half your yer CO's shampoo with Nair. Take his dosemiter off the common rack and nuke it as ya test the goldenrod Mk 36 X-Ray with 99 pulses. Loss of Hair and high dosimeter readings will build healthy respect......

Bless these folks for what they risk for us all day to day......Thanks for speaking for me to the family SLB.

Stay Safe !

[windchime]

Bump!

[SLB]

The 55 series MOS enlisted and the 160 MOS warrants in Germany pulled one prank that due to security will have to go to the grave with me.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

I gave the regards of the Free Republic EOD community to SSG Ramey's dad and mom. They seemed at this time to be holding up very well. Make sure you keep them and all parents, wives, husbands, sons and daughters, mothers and fathers of our armed forces in your prayers.

Thank you, SLB.

Praying daily for our troops, their families, loved ones and friends ~ along with an 'army' of FReepers.

[SLB]

Here is a link to a story on the memorial service in the local paper. http://www.thenewsenterprise.com/articles/2004/02/15/news/news01.txt

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the link! Hugs!