LT JACK COLUMBUS RITTICHIER

 

16 Aug 2002 LCDR Lonnie Mixon, USCG, and LT Jack Ritticher, USCG, reported to Commander, Ninth Coast Guard District, Cleveland, Ohio, just prior to leaving for South Vietnam. Having returned from SE Asia in late 1966 I gave both of them the usual advice, i. e. don't drink the water if you don't open it, don't eat the salads, if outside of a U.S. Mess eat only C-rations or fried rice. I advised them to allot all but $100.00 per month to their wives, which they did, as I recall. Mrs. Ritticher was very apprehensive about Jack's going to Vietnam. She was a beautiful lady from Mansfield, Ohio, and they were very much in love. The Chief of Operations, Captain McLaughlin, USCG, and I attended the ceremony for LT Ritticher in the Akron, Portage Lakes area although no body was recovered. Both LCDR Mixon and LT Ritticher were true Coast Guardsmen which is of course self evident. We salute both of you. Semper Paratus, Herbert Baker, CWO4, USCG (Ret) USCGW64@worldnet.att.net

 

13 Nov 2003 LT Rittichier's body has been recovered, identified, and returned to US soil and his family. OCT 2003. From an active-duty Coast Guardsman and USMC Vietnam Vet, HSC D.G. Swanger, USCG dlbds88@aol.com

 

09 Dec 2003 I have worn a POW/MIA bracelet to honor Lieutenant Jack Rittichier since high school. I just found out this American Hero has returned home. God Bless his family. Thanks for honoring these Americans. Brad ipdbrad@hotmail.com

 

20 April 2003 A Note from The Virtual Wall The wreckage of Jolly Green 23 was located in 2002 and excavated in early 2003. Human remains were recovered from the wreckage and repatriated: "Two flag-draped caskets ceremoniously carried off a C-130 transport contained remains that could be those of an F-4 Phantom crewman shot down in March of 1972, and a Coast Guard and three Air Force crew members of an HH-3E "Jolly Green Giant" helicopter that was lost in June of 1968." From The Honolulu Advertiser, Saturday, February 15, 2003 If the remains from the F-4 do turn out to be those of a crewman it will be one of the following four F-4 aircrewmen lost in Laos in March 1972: F-4E 69-7552, 4th TFS (Da Nang), 6 March 1972, 1LT Carter A. Howell and 1LT Stephen A. Rusch F-4D 66-8792, 8th TFS (Ubon), 23 Mar 1972, Maj James E. Whitt and Capt James T. Jackson The Army's Central Identification Laboratory in Honolulu will do the forensic testing to identify the remains. Follow-Up, 10/23/2003 The remains of the Jolly Green crew were repatriated on 14 Feb 2003 and identification announced on 11 and 12 Sep 2003. Marine 1st Lt Walter Schmidt still is missing. On 06 October 2003 Lieutenant Jack Rittichier was buried with honors in the Arlington National Cemetery.

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