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November 07, 2008, 0:00 p.m. Ripley at the BridgeSemper Fidelis, my friend. By Mackubin Thomas Owens America lost one of its truly great heroes over the weekend. Col. John Ripley, United States Marine Corps (Ret.), a veteran of the Vietnam War, died in Annapolis at age 69. Unfortunately, this hero’s name is far less well-known than that of William Calley of My Lai fame. We Marines love our heroes, and we all know their names: Dan Daley, Smedley Butler, John Basilone, etc. But among those who populate this select pantheon, none surpasses John Ripley and the legend of “Ripley...

John Ripley, Vietnam War hero, dies at age 69 Sun, Nov 2, 2008 (3:42 p.m.) Retired Marine Col. John Ripley, who was credited with stopping a column of North Vietnamese tanks by blowing up a pair of bridges during the 1972 Easter Offensive of the Vietnam War, died at home at age 69, friends and relatives said Sunday. Ripley's son, Stephen Ripley, said his father was found at his Annapolis home Saturday after missing a speaking engagement on Friday. The son said the cause of death had not been determined but it appeared his father died in his sleep. In...

Dear Lord, There's a young man far from home, called to serve his nation in time of war; sent to defend our freedom on some distant foreign shore. We pray You keep him safe, we pray You keep him strong, we pray You send him safely home ... for he's been away so long. There's a young woman far from home, serving her nation with pride. Her step is strong, her step is sure, there is courage in every stride. We pray You keep her safe, we pray You keep her strong, we pray You send her safely home...