RATZLAFF, RICHARD RAYMOND
DECEASED

Name: Richard Raymond Ratzlaff
Rank/Branch: United States Navy/O3
Unit:
Date of Birth:
Home City of Record: Aberdeen SD
Date of Loss: 20 March 1966
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 182000 North 1055300 East
Status (in 1973): Returnee
Category:
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: F4B
Missions:
Other Personnel in Incident:
Refno:

Source: Compiled by P.O.W. NETWORK from one or more of the following: raw
data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA
families, published sources, interviews. Updated 2003 with information from
Capt Read Mecleary USNR (Ret).

REMARKS: 730212 RELEASED BY DRV

SOURCE: WE CAME HOME  copyright 1977
Captain and Mrs. Frederic A Wyatt (USNR Ret), Barbara Powers Wyatt, Editor
P.O.W. Publications, 10250 Moorpark St., Toluca Lake, CA 91602
Text is reproduced as found in the original publication (including date and
spelling errors).

RICHARD R. RATZLAFF
Lieutenant Commander - United States Navy
Shot Down: March 20, 1966
Released: February 12, 1973

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every person who
wore a bracelet, said a prayer, or in whatever form it took, showed concern
for the plight of the POW's, MIA's and the American servicemen.

"I think the two most important things I learned during my detention in
North Vietnam were personal understandings of the words faith and time -
"faith" breaking down into three areas, not necessarily in this order; God,
Country, and family. The second great lesson I learned was a unique
understanding and appreciation for 'time'."

NOTE:
DIED OF LYMPHATIC CANCER 02/28/81

Dick is buried at the Dearborn Memorial Park on Tierra Bonita Road in Poway,
CA. His plot # is B-7-3.