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<p>As a bomb hit nearby, <em>Ralph Whittaker Pryor</em> was thrown from his chair at the kitchen table to the floor. His father grabbed him and his older brother, Phil, along with their pregnant mother and found refuge under their dining room table. It was just past 7:00am at Schofield Barracks, HI on December 7, 1941, and young Ralph, two years old, was in close combat for his first time. It would not be his last. Clearly, at this point in his life, Ralph had gathered far more combat experience than his future classmates in the West Point Class of 1962. </p>
<p>Ralph was born into the Army at Tripler Army Hospital to his father, then-Captain Delbert A. Pryor (USMA 1932), and his mother, Helen Whittaker Pryor. At the time, Captain Pryor was commanding a rifle company in the 27th Infantry Regiment of the 25th Infantry Division. Ralph would return to his birthplace and this historic Army division repeatedly during his sterling 23-year Army career. </p>
<p>Ralph arrived at West Point with a superb reputation as a soccer player, expecting to be a four-year player. Unfortunately, his knees offered the Academy’s orthopedic surgeons numerous opportunities to practice their skills. Long before arthroscopic surgery was available, Ralph’s knees were a sight and sound to behold. They were such a sight that Ralph gained more than a few dollars showing off his noisy, well-stitched knees to plebes for a small fee. Fortunately, the knees did not inhibit his Army prospects.</p>
<p>Unlike most of his classmates, Ralph understood perfectly the future challenges of Army life, having lived in 10 different homes growing up as an Army brat. It was no surprise that he followed his father and brother, Philip Alan Pryor (USMA 1958), into the Infantry following graduation in 1962. After completing his Infantry branch training, as well as Airborne School and Ranger School at Fort Benning, GA, Ralph’s childhood experience at Schofield Barracks drew him back to the Pacific and the 25th Infantry Division and an assignment as a platoon leader in the 35th Infantry Battle Group. After his promotion to first lieutenant, Ralph joined the 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division with the S-3 staff.</p>
<p>His work in the S-3 office prompted his selection to take a new weapon system under development to Vietnam and evaluate it during combat operations with an Army of the Republic of Vietnam infantry unit. During that assignment, Ralph won the respect and admiration of the Vietnamese unit known as the “Black Tigers” when their American advisor was killed on a mission. Ralph jumped into the battle without hesitation, helping to turn a potential defeat into a clear victory. That association with a Vietnamese unit prompted their highest respect and admiration, and Ralph received a Silver Star for his gallantry in action, one of the first to be awarded to a member of the Class of 1962 during the Vietnam War. After completing the weapons system assignment, Ralph returned to the 3rd Brigade in time for their deployment to the Central Highlands of South Vietnam in early 1966. </p>
<p>Two years later, Ralph was assigned back to the 25th Infantry Division. That combat tour was followed by a return to Fort Benning, where his leadership and potential was rewarded with an assignment as the aide de camp for the commanding general of the Infantry School. Soon, the Army chose to reunite the Pryor brothers in another advisory assignment with the Vietnamese Airborne Division.</p>
<p>In 1970, Ralph got a break from his frequent combat tours and was assigned to the ROTC Department at Creighton University in Omaha, NE. After the many challenges of combat, Ralph now single, was blessed to meet Nancy Hirz in the relative freedom of an academic setting, and their romance blossomed into a sweet marriage of over 50 years.</p>
<p>Later, in 1980, while serving in the Assignments Branch of the Pentagon, rather than giving himself a choice assignment (selfless service) at the end of his tour, Ralph got royally chewed out by his boss for not giving himself a choice assignment (for those who might have thought otherwise). So, Ralph relented and went back to Hawaii for his third and final assignment with the Tropic Lightning! </p>
<p>Ralph hung up his rifles in 1985 as a colonel with three combat tours, a host of decorations and a legacy of leadership and excellence. He soon found an interesting opportunity with a real estate and land development business, the Patten Corporation. The CEO took a liking to Ralph and sent him to manage the company affairs in Bozeman, MT. Ralph did quite well for himself, and the company and eventually retired to Scottsdale to enjoy a life well deserved. He and Nancy lived comfortably and enjoyed friends and classmates, as well as his brother, Phil; his two children; four grandchildren and a great-grandchild. It was noted that this old soccer player and infantryman stayed in shape by walking too fast for most of his friends and family around Scottsdale. Notably, he never made another dollar with those squeaky knees of his, but they served him well as the consummate infantryman. </p>
<p>Rest in peace, Ralph! Well done, good and faithful servant!</p>
<p><em>— Dick Chegar, Classmate and Roommate</em></p>
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