Ripley’s Raiders

Monument Dedication Ceremony

March 2, 2012

      On March 2^nd, 2012 seventy-three members of Lima Company, Third Battalion, Third Marines gathered at the Chapel located on the hill above the National Museum of the Marine Corps starting the dedication ceremony paying tribute to their Company Commander forty five years ago in Northern Quang Tri Province, Vietnam.

      On March 2^nd, 1967, under the command of Captain John W Ripley, Lima Company did battle with the 812^th Regiment, 324^th B Division of the North Vietnamese Army. A stateside newspaper account describing the battle over the next several days was headlined “RIPLEY’S RAIDERS ROUT NVA”. From that time on Lima Company under the command of Captain Ripley was known as “Ripley’s Raiders”.

Artist renderings

The original concept

The approved monument

                Goggin explaining the project at the unit meeting on the dedication day. Yes, We still need a little more funding, Guys. Make your donations to the John W. Ripley Memorial Trust

Some of the Raiders at the unit meeting