20 Apr 2004 Ralph and I graduated from Infantry OCS Class 7-70 on March 27, 1970. Ralph and I were in the same training platoon. He was older than most of us having already spent a hitch as an enlisted man. Because of his experience he was one of our unofficial leaders. He was married to a WAC Lieutenant and planned to make a career out of the Army. After graduating from OCS we all went our separate ways to stateside assignments. I know that several of us made it to Vietnam around January 71. As far as I have been able to determine, Ralph was the only graduate of class 7-70 to be killed in action in Vietnam. At least 3 of us were assigned to the 101st Airborne. In late June 71 I ran into another classmate from 7-70 on in-country R&R at Eagle Beach. He told me that Ralph had been killed couple of weeks earlier. I've thought of Ralph often over the years and wondered about the circumstances of his death. Buddy Jenkins 1LT A/2/506 bjenks@i-55.com

 

A Note from The Virtual Wall During the first week of June 1971 elements of the 2nd Bn, 501st Infantry were operating in the Truoi River valley west of Phu Loc. Five men died as a result of contacts in the valley: D Company, 01 June west of the Truoi River: 1LT Ralph L. Church, Hickman, NE (WIA, DoW 06/12/1971) SP4 Robert D. McKinney, Valparaiso, IN B Company, 01 June east of the Truoi River: 1LT James R. Saxon, Glen Burnie, MD CPL Don M. Ramsey, Houston, TX B Company, 03 June east of the Truoi River: SP4 Thomas E. Baumgardner, Fort Worth, TX (WIA, DoW 06/07/1971) Lieutenant Church had previously completed a tour in Vietnam before attending OCS and receiving his commission.

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