190 USMA Ranger KIAs honored at NRM

[garyedolan]

"A total of 190 West Point graduates who are Rangers killed in action since the beginning of the Vietnam War will be honored is year with stones at Ft. Benning's National Ranger Monument.
Placing those stones on the walkway of the National Ranger Monument was made possible by a fund drive which raised $47,500.00 before this year's May 31 deadline for new stones.
The fund drive honoring the 190 Rangers was initiated last year by the West Point Connection, WP-ORG INC, a non-profit organization that has been "connecting" almost 30,000 United States Military Academy graduates, parents and friends of West Point since 1996.
On May 30, the fund drive was slightly short of its goal, when retired General Barry Richard McCaffrey, a West Point graduate, contributed the remaining amount so that all 190 men could be honored at the National Ranger Monument.
McCaffrey will be the guest speaker at a special event honoring the 190 Rangers at the National Ranger Monument Oct. 15, 2010, according to Ranger Jack Price who spearheaded the fund drive. Price is the West Point Connection's chief financial officer
"We encourage family members of those being honored to join us at the Ranger Monument 15 October and for a meal afterwards at the Infantry Museum," said Price, adding that a credit card registration URL will soon be published on the ranger¬memorial list.
"This list will be moderated by Lisa Hallett, widow of Ranger John Hallett, class of 2001," said Price. "You can subscribe here at http://ww.west-point.org/wp/ranger¬memorial/
"Details of the ceremony, hotel reservations, transportation and the meal at the Infantry Museum will soon be on the list," added Price. "If you know any surviving family members of these men, please ensure they know about this list."
Price said some of the donations received during the fund drive were for specific Rangers, while other contributions were non specific. The chart showing the 190 men who will be honored can be seen at:
http://www.west-paint.org/publications/ ... nChart.xls. (Drag mouse across squares to see names.)
"This effort is an act of kindness and an excellent example of the Ranger spirit of helping each other," commented retired Gen. Kenneth C. Leuer, board chairman of the National Ranger Memorial Foundation. Stones of the 190 men will be placed on the walkway prior to the Oct 15 special event."
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When I was E/LRP-C/RGR Assoc pres, 2001-2003, I spent all our assoc money to enshrine our Charlie Ranger KIAs at the NRMF, then at the Ft MacDill Special Operations Memorial & at Ft Bragg & finally at our unit's successor 1st BN, 75th Memorial. Then, discovering so many USMA KIAs were not enshrined at the NRMF, 2 1/2 years ago I campaigned to have them so honored & am grateful to Jack Price ('64) for having West Point Org champion the cause I started.

Two years ago, I convinced the owner of armyranger.com to form a Not-For-Profit, Army Ranger Mojo, Inc, and ARMi will be undertaking the mission of raising money to honor ALL Ranger KIAs not already enshrined (well over a thousand yet & even discovering who they are is a daunting task!) In late Oct or early Nov it will sponsor a 5K Run/Walk held simultaneously at the vicinity of Benning, Lewis & Hunter, the homes of each Bn of the 75th RR, to raise money for this purpose of leaving no Ranger behind. This is exactly the type of daunting undertaking that ARMi can champion. As it develops further, the 5 K Run/Walk for Ranger KIAs will look to all of you for assistance and even some volunteers.