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Colonel John W. Ripley is a revered Marine Corps legend, one of the most decorated Marines of the Vietnam War, and an acclaimed authority on performance under extreme adversity. Col. Ripley, a U.S. Marine combat commander, who also commanded British Royal Marine Commandos in combat, single-handedly blew up the Dong Ha bridge in Vietnam, thus blunting the largest North Vietnamese Army offensive (the 1972 Easter Offensive) of the Vietnam War. His heroic action at Dong Ha Bridge was chosen to memorialize and symbolize the entire history of all Naval Academy graduates who fought in that war, dramatized by a diorama in the Academy's memorial hall entitled, "Ripley at the Bridge." He is the subject of dozens of books and the recipient of a host of honors, including the Navy Cross, the Silver Star, two awards of the Legion of Merit, two Bronze Stars with Combat "V", a Purple Heart and the Cross of Gallantry. He and one other Marine share the distinction of more combat experience than any other active duty Marine. He has held professorships at The Naval Academy,Virginia Military Institute and Oregon State. He served as Director of Marine Corps History and Director of the Marine Corps Historical Center. Col. Ripley has served before the Justice Department and on a Presidential Commision as an expert witness on women in combat. He is regularly asked to testifiy before both Houses of Congress and is called to address the FBI regularly on issues related to the military. A renowned authority on ground combat, he has appeared on national networks FOX, CNBC and CNN and is often quoted in the National Review. He is also a highly sought-after speaker before professional audiences as an expert in combat leadership, high performance and the value of humanities, classics and liberal arts in corporate life. | 