A banner hangs across Main Street in Radford. The city had designated Veterans Day as John Ripley Day with a parade and marker. A key to the city presentation was scheduled.

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Ripley, 69, a Radford native was found at his home Saturday after failing to show up at a speaking engagement on Friday. The exact cause of death has not been determined, but it appeared he died in his sleep.

Ripley, a June 1957 graduate of Radford High School, served 35 years of active duty in the Marines. 

Ripley, a retired Marine Colonel and a Vietnam War hero, is credited to stopping a column of North Vietnamese tanks by blowing up the Dong Ha Bridge during the 1972 Easter Offensive.

Ripley was honored with the Navy Cross, which is the nation’s second highest honor. The Navy Cross (the Navy's equivalent of the Distinguished Service Cross) was presented for his service in Vietnam in 1972 after he crawled under a bridge under enemy gunfire and rigged 500 pounds of explosives to bring the bridge down.

Col. Ripley, who was a decorated Marine, taught naval science during the early 90s at Virginia Military Institute. After retiring from active duty, he became the President of Southern Virginia College in Buena Vista in 1992 and then President at Hargrave Military Academy in 1997.

The City of Radford had recently proclaimed Veterans Day, November 11, as John Ripley Day. The city had planned to honor their former hometown hero with a parade, a marker at Bisset Park and a key to the city.

Col. Ripley is survived by his wife, Moline B. Ripley, 67; three sons, Stephen Ripley, 43, Thomas Ripley, 38, and John Ripley, 35; a daughter, Mary Ripley, 39; and eight grandchildren.

Funeral arrangements are still pending.

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