Vietnam War hero of Dong Ha Bridge to be awarded the Medal of Honor

Vietnam War hero of Dong Ha Bridge to be awarded the Medal of Honor

“Jesus, Mary, get me there. Get me there.” More than 50 years after then-Capt. John Ripley rhythmically chanted that prayer for three hours as he swung back and forth under a North Vietnamese bridge to rig 500 pounds of explosives, the Marine is set to posthumously be awarded the Medal of Honor. But for the Ripley family, June 18th is more than just the date of the White House ceremony. “June 18, that’s the day my father’s brother, Mike Ripley, …

Trump Awards Medal of Honor to Marine Hero Who Stopped a North Vietnamese Invasion

President Donald Trump posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor to legendary U.S. Marine Corps officer Colonel John W. Ripley, recognizing his extraordinary heroism during the Vietnam War. During the North Vietnamese Army’s Easter Offensive in 1972, then-Captain Ripley repeatedly crossed beneath the heavily defended Đông Hà Bridge while under intense enemy fire to place hundreds...

Griffith Statement on Radford’s Colonel John Walter Ripley Awarded Medal of Honor Posthumously

Thursday, June 18, 2026 – U.S. President Donald J. Trump posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor to Colonel John Walter Ripley of Radford, Virginia. Colonel Ripley, who served in the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, was honored for his courage and bravery as part of a White […]