Memorial Day 1998

"Today is Memorial Day in the United States, a day where we are asked to remember and honor all the Americans who have died in the service of their country. The generation hearing this has never had to face a lengthy war, with long casualty lists. Our nation's most recent experience with that type of conflict was in Vietnam - over 30 years ago.

Vietnam was the first television war, brought into America's living room by the 5:30 newscast via satellite from Saigon. The more vicious sights and sounds were deleted by the censors. What viewers were left with were weekly casualty reports of the numbers of American soldiers who were killed, wounded, and missing in action.

For this Memorial Day, I want to tell you about one of the missing.

Ronald Earl Ray was born and raised in Port Acres. Ronny was a very popular kid, a fair student, and played football for the Eagles on some of their outstanding teams in the mid-60's. He graduated from SFA in 1965 and entered the Army during the height of the Vietnam War. He became a Staff Sergeant in the Green Berets, and served three tours of duty in Southeast Asia.

On November 13, 1969, Ronny was leading five other soldiers into the mountains of Laos. Their mission was one of a series of strategic probes by American forces to determine the strength of the enemy in countries adjacent to Vietnam. This recon team was ambushed and overrun by enemy soldiers. One of the six soldiers was able to evade capture and was later rescued by American forces. This soldier reported Ronny had been hit in the chest and arm during the firefight. The true fate of the other five soldiers was never determined. They were declared missing in action by the Army. Ronny left a wife behind. He is the last Vietnam MIA from Southeast Texas.

On this Memorial Day, some families will bring pictures down from the attic and look at the faces of relatives who were killed in World War II, Korea, or Vietnam. Some families will get in their car and visit a gravesite. Some families will not give the holiday more than a passing thought for they have been fortunate enough not to have lost someone in the service.

For those who have no one else to think of today, I offer the memory of Ronny Ray. He walked these halls, went off to war, and never came back. The noblest fate that a man can endure is to place his own mortal body between his loved home and the desolation of war.

Let's begin our school day with a moment of silence honoring Memorial Day 1998."