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This first cradle-to-grave biography of Colonel John W. Ripley provides readers with the complete story about a great man who is considered by Marines, such as General Carl Mundy, former Commandant of the Marine Corps, to be on the same level as legends Chesty Puller and Dan Daly.
Colonel Ripley is most commonly known for his heroics in Vietnam during the Easter Offensive of 1972, where Colonel Gerald Turley ordered him to “hold and die,” in the face of over 30,000 North Vietnamese and 200 enemy tanks. John Ripley proceeded to blow the Dong Ha bridge, preventing the enemy from crossing. He unhesitatingly obeyed and earned the nation’s second highest honor, the Navy Cross.
As stunning as the Dong Ha story is, there was much more to Colonel John Ripley. An American Knight: The Life of Colonel John W. Ripley, USMC narrates his early life and the influences which shaped his personality.
In youth, he was a rambunctious “Huckleberry Finn” who spent his days getting into all kinds of mischief in Radford, Virginia. The stories from this time period, so well narrated in An American Knight, will leave the reader with at least a smile, if not a laugh.
After his mischievous “Huckleberry Finn” days in Radford, he learned to discipline his wild side and, in spite of his intellectual weaknesses, went on to graduate from the Naval Academy. The strength of will with which he accomplished this task was later applied on the battlefield, where he earned the status of legend during his first tour in Vietnam as a 28-year-old Captain.
Readers will also get to know about John Ripley, the father, but more importantly the chaste husband. When he was approached by people wanting to make a movie about his life he agreed as long as his character was not portrayed as having a romantic relationship in Vietnam. “I have never been,” he said, “nor will I ever be unfaithful to my wife.”
This was one of the motivating factors which led him to give a brilliant testimony before congress against sending women into combat. He could not conceive of women being subjected to the harsh realities of war and spoke out strongly against it.
An American Knight also narrates his courageous stands against homosexuals in the military. He saw their admittance as “a deviation from values that Marines hold dear and one which attacked their very honor.”
The final chapters narrate the struggle Colonel Ripley endured with a bad liver. He would finally undergo two liver transplants, the last one of which was defined as the “most dramatic” in history.
“If a young officer or Marine ever asks what is the meaning of Semper Fidelis” Colonel Ripley once told a friend, “tell them my story.”
This is his story!
Order your copy of An American Knight now by clicking here.
When America heard that President Donald Trump would posthumously award the Medal of Honor to Col. John W. Ripley today on June 18, 2026, many Americans wanted to learn more about this extraordinary hero. Fortunately, award-winning author Norman Fulkerson has already produced the first and only cradle-to-grave biography of Col. John W. … Read more
Many books and articles have chronicled Col. John Ripley’s heroism at the Dong Ha Bridge on 2 April 1972. What distinguishes Norman Fulkerson’s wonderful biography, An American Knight: The Life of Col. John W. Ripley USMC, is that it goes beyond the what and how of Ripley’s actions, giving us the why … Read more
As we commemorate the 40th anniversary of the destruction of the Dong Ha Bridge, our thoughts naturally turn to Colonel John Ripley, the man at the center of the story. Norman Fulkerson, author of An American Knight, reflects on what made Ripley such a larger-than-life figure — and why we should emulate … Read more
The book, An American Knight: The Life of Colonel John W. Ripley, USMC has found its way into the hands of many Americans who are looking for Catholic role models. Now the award-winning book written by Norman Fulkerson will extend its reach yet farther with the publication of a paperback second edition … Read more
Review of An American Knight by Rear Admiral William A. Heine, USNR, Retired and Colonel Michael D. Wyly, USMC, Retired. Both men were classmates of Colonel John Ripley, Class of 1962, U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis. A lone U.S. Marine hand-walked, gripping the girders underneath the bridge over the Cua Viet River in … Read more
An American Knight: The Life of Col. John W. Ripley, USMC Written by Norman J. Fulkerson ISBN: 978-1-877905-41-4 Hardcover bound, 218 pages with 33 illustrations $14.95 Order today from The American TFP’s online store: https://store.tfp.org/an-american-knight-hard-cover/ There are plenty of books that tell the soldier’s story and take the reader beyond media accounts … Read more
Statement of Colonel John W. Ripley, USMC, Ret., before the House Armed Services Committee Subject: The preservation on the ban of homosexuals in the armed forces 4 May 1993 The American public has been deluded into a false understanding of the real purpose of its military forces. More specifically, it sees … Read more
Presidential Commission on the Assignment of Women in the Armed Forces, Washington, D.C. Testimony of Colonel John W. Ripley 26 June 1992 COLONEL RIPLEY: I, too, would like to begin with prepared remarks. Ladies and gentlemen of the Commission, I’ll start with my background. Very briefly, my association with combat. I served … Read more
“If a young officer or Marine ever asks what is the meaning of Semper Fidelis,” Col. Ripley once told a friend, “tell them my story.” Purchase your copy now This first cradle-to-grave biography of Col. John W. Ripley by Norman Fulkerson provides readers with the complete story about a great man who … Read more
On October 27, the TFP Washington Bureau was filled with friends and supporters to hear a presentation on the book, An American Knight The Life of Colonel John W. Ripley, USMC just authored by TFP member Norman Fulkerson. The author presented the book to a full and lively auditorium of some 50 … Read more