![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
John Ripley
Nov. 3rd, 2008 12:44 pmI have met very few genuine war heroes. My friend's father, who died recently, turns out to have been one in addition to being a good man with a stellar career in the State Department. But last evening, I came on-line to write about the performance of Henry IV, part 1 that I'd just seen and found the announcement of John Ripley's death.
His obituary by The Washington Post is here. Where it states that he served on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is where my father was his commanding officer.
When I called Dad last night to tell him, he'd already heard the news. He sounded sad for many reasons, but the most telling was Dad saying he only had five friends in his life and John Ripley was one of them.
I mourn the loss of a hero, but I know I never really knew the man. I mourn the loss of friendship in my father's life. Of the five he named, only one still lives.
His obituary by The Washington Post is here. Where it states that he served on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is where my father was his commanding officer.
When I called Dad last night to tell him, he'd already heard the news. He sounded sad for many reasons, but the most telling was Dad saying he only had five friends in his life and John Ripley was one of them.
I mourn the loss of a hero, but I know I never really knew the man. I mourn the loss of friendship in my father's life. Of the five he named, only one still lives.
