1LT James L. Ripanti

1LT James L. Ripanti, KIA on March 14 1969 while leading Recon Team New York (CCC) on a mission in Laos.

After leading RT New York for three days, outmaneuvering enemy tracker teams and a platoon of searchers while on a mission in Laos, 1LT Ripanti’s recon team came in contact with the enemy. After a quick exchange of fire, Ripanti was mortally wounded in the chest by AK-47 fire. Ripanti reportedly refused first aid and attempted to direct the defense of his team while on the verge of death. A Bright Light reaction force, code name for those sent to rescue recon teams in contact, was able to retrieve Ripanti, but he arrived at Dak To on the floor of the rescue aircraft in a fetal position, his jungle shirt dark with blood. He was dead on arrival. In a most daring act of valor, the Bright Light team was able to extract the other members of RT New York without further loss of life. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and the book “Secret Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines with the Elite Warriors of SOG” by John L. Plaster]