NOTICE OF THE PASSING OF A GREAT USMC WARRIOR AND GENTLEMAN-RETIRED MARINE COL. JOHN RIPLEY-SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2008.
Col. Ripley was a legendary American Patriot / Warrior who earned the "Quad Body" distinction for making it through four of the toughest military training programs in the world: the Army Rangers, Marine reconnaissance, Army Airborne and Britain's Royal Marines, Miller said. He was also the only Marine to be inducted in the U.S. Army Ranger Hall of Fame.
Ripley earned the Navy Cross and Silver Star for his service in Vietnam. He later served on the Joint Chiefs of Staff and was regimental commander at Camp Lejeune, N.C., among other postings.
After retiring from the Marines, he was president and chancellor of Southern Virginia College in Lexington, Va.
He was credited with stopping a column of North Vietnamese tanks by blowing up a pair of bridges during the 1972 Easter Offensive of the Vietnam War, died at home at age 69.
He was a Marine's Marine, respected, highly respected by enlisted men, by his peers and by his seniors.
Click the following link to read more about Col. Ripley-JOHN WALKER RIPLEY
Semper Fi, Col. Ripley, Semper Fi!
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It is with a heavy heart that I have to write that so many of the masters of musical mambo arts are passing away at an alarmingly fast clip. Mongo Santamaria, Tito Puente, Carlos "Patato" Valdes, Tata Guines, and even relative youngsters like Miguel "Anga" Diaz are no longer with us. It should give all of us a deep sadness that will spur us on in our efforts to study Mambo Arts with more joy and focus while we can. Becoming a "master" is not the goal...gaining joy from the study of the various facets of the Mambo Arts spectrum is what it's all about in the end. Then when we see the "giants" do what most of us mortals will probably never be able to do in this life, we can smile and appreciate their "gifts for the gods" all the more. Ache!
Miguel "Anga" Diaz
Carlos "Patato" Valdes Memorial
Miguel "Anga" Diaz and "Tata" Guines
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In Memoriam
(Federico Aristides Soto y Alejoà)
June 30, 1930 - February 4, 2008

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IN MEMORIAM
(June 14, 1927 – January 13, 2009)
A "MAMBO KING" AND A "PALLADIUM PRINCE"