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We lost a great American yesterday that I had to the honor to personally know.
Ronald Rosser, Medal of Honor recipient who fought in Korea, passed away at age 90 on Wednesday.
He was one of a kind.
Ronald Rosser, Medal of Honor recipient who fought in Korea, passed away at age 90 on Wednesday.
He was one of a kind.
He was the second oldest of 17 kids.
The son of a coal miner and a homemaker.
The son of a coal miner and a homemaker.
His first stint in the Army was for 3 years.
He got out and went to work with his dad in the coal mines.
His brother enlisted in the Army and was sent to Korea and was later KIA.
He got out and went to work with his dad in the coal mines.
His brother enlisted in the Army and was sent to Korea and was later KIA.
Ron re-enlisted and requested to be put on the front lines.
He wanted revenge.
He wanted revenge.
In Ron’s own words:
“We were a close knit family. I sat around trying to think about what to do. I was the oldest son. When somebody bothered my family, I punched their lights out, so to speak. If someone bothered one of my sisters, they'd better leave town.”
“We were a close knit family. I sat around trying to think about what to do. I was the oldest son. When somebody bothered my family, I punched their lights out, so to speak. If someone bothered one of my sisters, they'd better leave town.”
Ron worked as a Forward Observer in some well-known Korean Battles.
Bloody Ridge: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Bloody_Ridge
Heartbreak Ridge: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Heartbreak_Ridge
Bloody Ridge: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Bloody_Ridge
Heartbreak Ridge: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Heartbreak_Ridge
In Ron’s words:
During one of his unit’s assaults his actions earned him the Medal of Honor.
His citation:
His citation:
Eventually he made is way back to Washington DC where Harry Truman presented him with his Medal of Honor.
One of his brothers, a Marine, was KIA in Vietnam and Ron wanted to head back to the front lines, but the Army wouldn’t let him.
Instead he retired.
“I told the Pentagon that if wasn't going to treat me like a soldier, I wanted out of this outfit.”
Instead he retired.
“I told the Pentagon that if wasn't going to treat me like a soldier, I wanted out of this outfit.”
An additional link to read his full life story and thoughts about war, death, and his Medal of Honor:
http://www.koreanwar-educator.org/memoirs/rosser_ronald/index.htm
http://www.koreanwar-educator.org/memoirs/rosser_ronald/index.htm
His obit in the Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/ronald-rosser-medal-of-honor-recipient-who-fought-to-avenge-his-brothers-death-in-combat-dies-at-90/2020/08/27/ce64a772-e86f-11ea-bc79-834454439a44_story.html
Rest easy, Ron.
I’ll catch you on the other side.
I’ll catch you on the other side.
