- Joined
- May 18, 1999
- Messages
- 15,395
As I mentioned before Ralph and his wife Ida of 62/63 years I believe it was came in on Saturday night IIRC. Time got where the days just ran together and it was hard to keep track of which day was which and just how long we had been there let alone when what happened when.
Ralph mentioned that he had been in New Guinea and I asked what our forces was doing there and that got the conversation started. Somehow the conversation got around to the BCI Theater and Merrill's Marauders and I exclaimed, "You were with Merrill's Marauders?!?! and then told Ralph, "It's a real honor to have met you sir!" at which point I stuck out my hand to shake his.:thumbup:
I was always somehow under the impression that there was just a few folks with Merrill and was surprised to learn that wasn't true at all.
There were several combat patrols one of which Ralph was attached too.
I then asked Ralph what he was doing with the Merrill's Marauders and how he had gotten there, at which he told me, "I volunteered."
He said that since he had been in the jungles of New Guinea that surely Burma, China, and India, couldn't be any worse and that's when he looked like these icons
:foot: and said, "Little did I know or realize!" 
In the article Found Here there is quite the write up on Ralph, part of which I excerpted below....
"Mr. Ralph B. Lawson of Tulsa OK will help christen an M1068 that will bare his name SGT RALPH B. LAWSON. Mr. Lawson served in 2-18FA from 1938-1940 when it was a horse drawn artillery battalion. He later fought in WWII as a member of the prestigious Merrills Marauders who became famous for their exploits in Burma India. Mr. Lawson was inducted into the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame in 2004. He is 84 years old and lives with his wife of 60 years, Ida."
[SIZE=-2]Original Patch From
The Uniform Of
S/Sgt [/SIZE][SIZE=-2] Robert E. Passanisi[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]
"THE PATCH" SYMBOLISM OF THE DESIGN[/SIZE]
* The Colors: Blue, White, Red & Green represent 4
of the 6 Marauders combat teams.
* The Sun: From the Chinese National Flag for the
unit's close cooperation with Chinese forces in Burma.
* The Star: Represents the "Star of Burma" for the
Marauders area of operations.
* The Lightning Bolt: Stands for the speed and force
that the Marauders struck the enemy.
There is also more, albeit a little, info on Ralph, found on the website about Merrills Marauders.... Merrill's Marauders that you have to look for. I use my "Find" feature on Firefox by clicking on "Ctrl" and "F" at the same time which brings up a window you type your search subject in, I find it very helpful!
Also a story on Merrill's Marauders Here.
There's a bit more I recall but it's in bits and pieces and if I tried to post them they wouldn't make any sense to anyone but me so I'll hold off until I get to see Ralph again, I hope to do that soon as I'd dearly love to get some of his history down in the form of the printed word.
I do recall Ralph telling me about the three mules that they had. One carried the radio and power pack, the other carried their maps and recon equipment, and the third carried hay and oats for all of them.
It seems mules have been around us humans too long and have a hard time living off the land and especially on jungle land. Although it's green and lush it evidently doesn't pack much nutritional punch, who'd a thunk it?
IIRC Ralph said his unit was designated as a recon/combat unit and that they were sometimes hell and gone back in the bush.
I really enjoyed the three quarters of a day I got to spend talking with Ralph and hopefully when I get down to see Ralph I can take my boom box and record some of our talks so I can tell the stories back to you guys later.
Ralph is sure one interesting fellow and he damned sure isn't getting any younger. I wondered about forming a friendship with Ralph as old as he is but because of a story I read long, long, ago I learned that even short term friendships could be the most valuable ones you have ever formed, methinks it's gonna be that way with Ralph.:thumbup:
Ralph mentioned that he had been in New Guinea and I asked what our forces was doing there and that got the conversation started. Somehow the conversation got around to the BCI Theater and Merrill's Marauders and I exclaimed, "You were with Merrill's Marauders?!?! and then told Ralph, "It's a real honor to have met you sir!" at which point I stuck out my hand to shake his.:thumbup:
I was always somehow under the impression that there was just a few folks with Merrill and was surprised to learn that wasn't true at all.
There were several combat patrols one of which Ralph was attached too.
I then asked Ralph what he was doing with the Merrill's Marauders and how he had gotten there, at which he told me, "I volunteered."
He said that since he had been in the jungles of New Guinea that surely Burma, China, and India, couldn't be any worse and that's when he looked like these icons
:foot: and said, "Little did I know or realize!" In the article Found Here there is quite the write up on Ralph, part of which I excerpted below....
"Mr. Ralph B. Lawson of Tulsa OK will help christen an M1068 that will bare his name SGT RALPH B. LAWSON. Mr. Lawson served in 2-18FA from 1938-1940 when it was a horse drawn artillery battalion. He later fought in WWII as a member of the prestigious Merrills Marauders who became famous for their exploits in Burma India. Mr. Lawson was inducted into the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame in 2004. He is 84 years old and lives with his wife of 60 years, Ida."
[SIZE=-2]Original Patch From
The Uniform Of
S/Sgt [/SIZE][SIZE=-2] Robert E. Passanisi[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]
"THE PATCH" SYMBOLISM OF THE DESIGN[/SIZE]
* The Colors: Blue, White, Red & Green represent 4
of the 6 Marauders combat teams.
* The Sun: From the Chinese National Flag for the
unit's close cooperation with Chinese forces in Burma.
* The Star: Represents the "Star of Burma" for the
Marauders area of operations.
* The Lightning Bolt: Stands for the speed and force
that the Marauders struck the enemy.
Also a story on Merrill's Marauders Here.
There's a bit more I recall but it's in bits and pieces and if I tried to post them they wouldn't make any sense to anyone but me so I'll hold off until I get to see Ralph again, I hope to do that soon as I'd dearly love to get some of his history down in the form of the printed word.
I do recall Ralph telling me about the three mules that they had. One carried the radio and power pack, the other carried their maps and recon equipment, and the third carried hay and oats for all of them.
It seems mules have been around us humans too long and have a hard time living off the land and especially on jungle land. Although it's green and lush it evidently doesn't pack much nutritional punch, who'd a thunk it?
IIRC Ralph said his unit was designated as a recon/combat unit and that they were sometimes hell and gone back in the bush.
I really enjoyed the three quarters of a day I got to spend talking with Ralph and hopefully when I get down to see Ralph I can take my boom box and record some of our talks so I can tell the stories back to you guys later.
Ralph is sure one interesting fellow and he damned sure isn't getting any younger. I wondered about forming a friendship with Ralph as old as he is but because of a story I read long, long, ago I learned that even short term friendships could be the most valuable ones you have ever formed, methinks it's gonna be that way with Ralph.:thumbup:
