'Let's Go Charlie!' | Marine Corps Association

https://www.mca-marines.org/leatherneck/1968/02/lets-go-charlie

RP Members and Connections I'm sending out a "Big Prayer Request" for one of our Great Marine Warriors. (Check out the link and article above - its awesome as well)

I received this awesome request from one of our very own RallyPoint Members Sgt George Lawrence.

Here is what George sent me:

"Mike, my good friend and fellow Marine, Jack Ruffer, Maj. USMC (Ret.) could use a few prayers. Jack was severely wounded during a Vietnam campaign (Operation Medina 12 Oct. 1967). He recovered (received the Silver Star) and is the subject of a book regarding the action, "Lions of Medina". He has been frequently ill lately and I suspect due to grenade wound during the firefight. He could use some prayers even though he is now home from his most recent hospital stay. Anything you can do would be greatly appreciated by us, friends, Marines and family. Thanks, and I might add that I'm enjoying this forum."

Here is some additional information on Maj Jack Ruffer I thought was worth sharing:

Jack is a Mustang, commissioned through the Marine Corps meritorious NCO program. After OCS and TBS jack served in Guantanamo. In July, 1967 he received orders to Vietnam as XO of Charlie Company, 1/1. That’s where the story below begins.



For valor during Operation Medina Jack received the Silver Star (his C.O., Capt. Bill Majors, with whom I served when he was a platoon leader for 1/3 in 1963, recommended him for the Navy Cross, but it was reduced to the Silver Star for expediency, according to another Marine officer).

Jack last served as the Director, Staff NCO Academy at MCAS El Toro before retiring with the rank of Major. He told me that he had been told that he would be able to serve stateside with his family, however the Marine Corps decided otherwise and cut orders for him to Okinawa to serve, unaccompanied, as the XO for a battalion of the 3rd FSSG. It was time for him to serve with his family, so he opted to retire. This wasn’t all bad. During the duty assignment at El Toro, Jack went through Pepperdine University’s MBA program, and in the process met a senior Human Resources V.P. for Apple Corporation who offered him a job post Marine Corps. Jack served as a senior H.R. executive for Apple. He is now “completely” retired except for his continuing search to find and communicate with all the families of the Marines were will KIA during Medina. He and his wife, Pat, live in Palm Desert, California, where he has enjoyed non-stop golf until his recent health issues caused him to stow the clubs for now.

George stated: "I have enjoyed Jack’s friendship for sixty years, from high school, through the Corps (we both served in the same regiments until I left active duty) and Jack headed to OCS. Even before the Marine Corps I knew Jack would be a special kind of leader. He has proven that. He is humble (well, sort of) and never fails to give credit due him to others (he says, for example, it was those young Marines in his command who deserved his Silver Star).

Thanks for sharing George and my Prayers go out to Maj Jack Ruffer in a big way today!