The Wall › Panel 3W › Kentucky › Ralph Edward McElrath
RALPH EDWARD MCELRATH
Corporal · U.S. Army
November 13, 1950 – July 26, 1971
Service recordRalph Edward McElrath, of Paducah, Kentucky, served as a Corporal in the U.S. Army. He died on July 26, 1971, in Quang Nam Province, South Vietnam, at age 20. His name is inscribed on Panel 3W, Line 115 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
On the Wall
Panel 3W · Line 115
Names are inscribed in the order of loss, starting at Panel 1E at the apex and ending at Panel 1W. At the Memorial, find the panel number at the base and count down from the top line.
Remember
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Service
- Branch
- U.S. Army
- Rank
- Corporal (CPL)
- Service
- Drafted (Selective Service)
- Occupation
- Light Wheel Vehicle Mechanic (63B)
- Unit (as recorded)
- 1 AVN BDE
- Born
- November 13, 1950
- Home of record
- Paducah, Kentucky (Mccracken County)
Casualty
- Date of death
- July 26, 1971
- Age
- 20
- Province
- Quang Nam
- Country
- South Vietnam
- Casualty type
- Non-hostile
- Category
- Accident
- Circumstance
- Drowning
Context · from the records
What was happening
Three names on the Wall carry the date July 26, 1971; he was the only one lost in Quảng Nam Province that day. In July 1971, 118 Americans whose names are on the Wall died in the war.
The 1st Aviation Brigade, his unit in the record, lost 14 of its members that month.
Also on Panel 3W, Line 115
- HARRY KENDALL HARRIS JRFirst Sergeant · July 26, 1971
- CLIFFORD FRANKLIN DOWLINGPetty Officer First Class · July 27, 1971
- RANDALL HAROLD GEISSpecialist Five · July 27, 1971
- JOHN ALBERT GROSSFirst Lieutenant · July 27, 1971
Same unit, same day
- LINWOOD LEE BAKERStaff Sergeant · Panel 3W, Line 114
From Paducah
- BILLY JOE WATKINSStaff Sergeant · June 21, 1967
- KENNETH RAY WRIGHTLance Corporal · June 27, 1967
- BILLIE TAYLOR PRESSONCaptain · September 20, 1967
- DON POTTERSpecialist Four · November 3, 1967
- GIVEN WEST BRADLEYSpecialist Four · February 11, 1968
- JAMES DALE CRUSEHospitalman · June 15, 1968
- JAMES A WILLIAMSStaff Sergeant · August 13, 1968
- WILLIAM LEON VICKChief Warrant Officer 3 · August 30, 1968
- JOHN R HORNSBYSpecialist Four · March 8, 1969
- ARTHUR DALE LINDSEYPrivate First Class · March 9, 1969
Source. U.S. Department of Defense, Defense Casualty Analysis System, Vietnam Conflict Extract Data File (as of April 29, 2008), Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Record Group 330, National Archives (NAID 2240992). Panel and line as recorded in that file. This page presents the official record and its historical context; no biography has been written for him yet. See something wrong? Report a correction.