Valley Girl Views: Medal Of Honor Recipient George H. Ramer, of Lewisburg

Medal of Honor Recipient George H. Ramer, a graduate of Lewisburg High School and Bucknell University, lost his life while fighting to protect his troops in Korea.

"Unable to hold the position against an immediate, overwhelming hostile counterattack, he ordered his group to withdraw and singlehandedly fought the enemy to furnish cover for his men and for the evacuation of three fatally wounded marines. Severely wounded a second time, 2d Lt. Ramer refused aid when his men returned to help him and, after ordering them to seek shelter, courageously manned his post until the hostile troops overran his position and he fell mortally wounded."

George Henry Ramer was born March 27 1927 in Meyersdale, Somerset County PA, the son of Harold Webster Ramer and Maude Pearl Shannon. Harold Webster was superintendent of the Tressler Orphan's School, where George received his education. The school only had a 3 year high school program, so George finished his schooling at Lewisburg High School, graduating there in 1944.

Ramer had enlisted in the Navy in 1944 (World War II) and served until 1946. He married Jeanne Anna Grice, a native of Lewisburg, in August of 1949, while attending Bucknell University.

Ramer graduated from Bucknell in 1950 with a degree in political science and history. He worked At Busser Supply Company when he was called back to active duty for the Korean War, in January of 1951.

Ramer was sent to Korea with the Marines in May 1951, a leader of third platoon, Company I, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division.

"The horrors of war are vividly depicted in letters from Marine Lt. George Ramer, sent from the front lines in Korea to his wife, Mrs. Jeanne Grice Ramer of Lewistown [Lewisburg].

Lt. Ramer, who was born in Meyersdale and lived here as a small boy, is the son of Mrs. Maude S. Ramer of Loysville and the Bate H. W. Ramer. well remembered former residents of Meyersdale and Salisbury.

Sleeping in the blood of a dead comrade, fighting 12-year-old boys and suicide troops, going for days unwashed and unshaven, are some the facts of war that the 24-year-old marine lieutenant believes the politicians and the public back home should be made to see. These excerpts from his letters, recently published in the Milton (Pa.) Evening Standard tell1 story:

I have not shaved in a week and half. I have only one set of dungarees now, and I've had them on weeks. I've washed with soap water once in a week. The water is in the valleys, and tactics tor staying in the hills. I've thrown away every possible piece of gear I could. We, climb these mountains with packs on, and everybody throws away what they don't need. . . The other day Baker Company was hit hard by artillery. We relieved them, and it after dark 'till I got the platoon set in. I pitched my sleeping

bag in a hole, posted my security turned in.

In the morning I found my bag in a pool of blood; beside me a torn shoe, a wrecked carbine; in my zipper lining was a torn, wallet with a torn picture of a Sgt. Putnam, his wife and two kids around a Christmas tree. Sgt. Put-man was blown to bits. That's' part of war the politicians and public should, be made to see.

We are only fighling the North Koreans now because they are screening a eneral retreat of the chinks...

We had a couple thousand surrender to the Marines while we on the line, many of whom wounded.

But they also have their suicide troops. They will leave eight or ten men on a hill with automatic "burp" guns and English and American-made Thompson submachine guns as a delaying action against us. They know they will be killed eventually, but they sure us a lot of trouble. Some of are only 13 e 14-year-old boys.

When we secured the pass back the Hwanchon Reservoir, my platoon picked up a wounded boy I called Kim, the company interpreter, and we found he was 12 old, was left behind by a battalion as an artillery forward observer. He sat in his foxhole with a radio and would simply say when any of our men or vehicles got into the road on the pass. The North Koreans, who had pass pre-zeroed in with artillery, would let fly a-'barrage.

That little boy cost us about 25 casualties, three trucks, some jeeps, and two 105 mm. howitzers... The North Koreans are better fighters - they are fighting for homes. The Chinks don't what they are fighting for.

Ramer's father, H. W. Ramer, was a school teacher and taught number of years in Salisbury. He also had a government or state in connection with educational program of the P.W.A.

He was killed in action Sept. 12, 1951, in the Battle of the Punchbowl, Kanmubong Ridge near Soyang River, in Korea.

On Sept. 11-12, Marines from several battalions were battling on Hill 673 Ramer’s platoon was ordered to attack a ridgeline on Yoke Ridge at dawn on the 12th. A Major ordered the platoon up the wrong side of the hill and Ramer and his men became engaged in fierce fighting. The men were forced to retreat after being overwhelmed by advancing North Korean troops.

“Ordered to attack and seize hostile positions atop a hill, vigorously defended by well-entrenched enemy forces delivering massed small-arms mortar, and machinegun fire, Second Lieutenant Ramer fearlessly led his men up the steep slopes and although he and the majority of his unit were wounded during the ascent, boldly continued to spearhead the assault. With the terrain becoming more precipitous near the summit and the climb more perilous as the hostile forces added grenades to the devastating hail of fire, he staunchly carried the attack to the top, personally annihilated one enemy bunker with grenade and carbine fire and captured the objective with his remaining eight men. Unable to hold the position against an immediate, overwhelming hostile counterattack, he ordered his group to withdraw and single-handedly fought the enemy to furnish cover for his men and for the evacuation of three fatally wounded Marines. Severely wounded a second time, Second Lieutenant Ramer refused aid when his men returned to help him and, after ordering them to seek shelter, courageously manned his post until the hostile troops overran his position and he fell mortally wounded. His indomitable fighting spirit, inspiring leadership and unselfish concern for others in the face of death, reflect the highest credit upon Second Lieutenant Ramer and the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.”

Ramer is honored in the lobby of the Union County Courthouse and at Bucknell University, where a bronze bust sits in the lobby to the Langone Recreation Center.