3RD MARDIV

26TH MARINES

Jose Ruiz, Jr

Private First Class
B CO, 1ST BN, 26TH MARINES, 3RD MARDIV
United States Marine Corps
07 August 1948 - 30 March 1968
New York, New York
Panel 47E Line 016

Purple Heart, National Defense, Vietnam Service, Vietnam Campaign

The database page for Jose Ruiz, Jr

20 July 2005

Jose, my friend and classmate throughout Canarsie, Brooklyn, PS 242, my heart is extended forever to you and your family (Carmen, Maria, 2 other girls, I forget their names, and David) God keep you in his peace. You made the ultimate sacrifice.

From a friend and classmate,
Kenneth Williams
VAMC, 151 Knollcroft Road - Bldg #57, Lyons, NJ 07939
kenmorekenmore@yahoo.com

20 Sep 2006

Jose (Tuto) you have and always will be part of me.

Carmen, Ana, Elsie, and David still mention the good times we had growing up in Canarsie with you.

God bless your spirit, dear brother. Love Maria

Maria Radomicki
E-Mail will be forwarded by the
Webmaster@VirtualWall.org

A Note from The Virtual Wall

The action by Bravo 1/26 on 30 March 1968 was reflected only by a brief comment in the Battalion's Operations Journal:
"30 MAR 1968 SUMMARY: Co B conducted a search and destroy mission. During this patrol Co B received mortar and small arms fire causing 71 WIA's, nine KIA's, and two MIA's."
but there was more to it than that. Quoting from the 1/26 Command Chronology for March 1968,
"Intelligence sources revealed that Company B met and defeated in detail the main elements of a NVA Battalion, inflicted 115 NVA KIA and destroyed numerous amounts of ammunition, weapons, and equipment. The operation resulted in ten friendly KIA, two MIA, and 100 WIA, 49 of which were evacuated. ... The agressive fighting spirit of Company B combined with supporting arms fire enabled the company to engage and defeat in detail a numerically superior enemy force entrenched in mutually supporting fortified positions, in the first planned offensive attack of a known enemy position in the battle for KHE SANH Combat Base."
The twelve men who died in the engagement were
  • 1stLt Marion H. Norman, Houston, TX (A Btry, 1st Bn, 13th Marines)
  • Sgt Donald A. Warren, San Diego, CA
  • Cpl David A. Aldrich, Gibsonburg, OH
  • Cpl Albert R. Sanford, Russellville, KY (H&S Co with B/1/26)
  • LCpl Wayne P. Moore, Plymouth, MA
  • LCpl Author C. Smith, Glen Allen, AL
  • Pfc David B. Anderson, Avoca, IA
  • Pfc Ted D. Britt, Decatur, GA (Silver Star)
  • Pfc Jimmie L. Jones, Cordova, AL
  • Pfc Donald R. Rash, Pocahontas, VA (Navy Cross)
  • Pfc Jose Ruiz, New York, NY
  • Pfc Kenneth R. Totten, Brewster, NY
1stLt Norman was the Artillery Forward Observer; he was killed by a mortar shell which also seriously wounded the Bravo Company Commander, Captain K. W. Pipes, and all members of the company command group. The two men reported as missing in action were LCpl Author Smith and Pfc Ted Britt; their bodies were subsequently recovered.


The point-of-contact for this memorial is
his sister,
Maria Radomicki
E-Mail may be forwarded via the
Webmaster@VirtualWall.org



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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Memorial first published on 20 Jul 2005
Last updated 10/03/2006