Ronald L. Coker, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism in Vietnam in March 1969, was born 9 August 1947, in Alliance, Nebraska. He attended District 78 Rural Elementary School in Alliance, Alliance High School, and Denver Colorado Automotive School.
Drafted by the Selective Service Board in Alliance, he entered the U.S. Marine Corps at Denver, Colorado, 16 April 1968.
He completed recruit training with the 1st Recruit Training Battalion, Recruit Training Regiment, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California, in June 1968; individual combat training with Company Z, 3d Battalion, 2d Infantry Training Regiment, Camp Pendleton, California, in July 1968; and basic infantry training with Rifle Training Company, Basic Infantry Training Battalion, 2d Infantry Training Regiment at Camp Pendleton, in August. He was promoted to private first class on 1 September 1968.
A complete list of his medals and decorations includes: the Medal of Honor, the Purple Heart, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with one bronze star, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.
Quick Facts
Service BranchMarine Corps
HometownAlliance
Home CountyBox Butte
2 Responses
Patrick E Price
Ron went through boot camp and ITR (Infantry Training Regiment) a few weeks before I went through that training..who knows, we may have bumped into each other during that period… I did not know Ron Coker personally…but we did fight the NVA in the same area in Vietnam in 1969. My unit replaced Mike 3/3 (Ron Coker’s unit) right after Ron lost his life….AND two Marines in my squad lost their lives at the SAME “Cave” tunnel complex where Ron Coker and Ron Playford lost their lives. I will never ever forget Firebase Alpine and what took place in the jungle around it. WE, Lima 3/9 replaced Mike 3/3 at Alpine.
Below is the last lines in the Eulogy that I wrote for my best friend in Vietnam…He suffered from PTSD until his passing in November 2022… for not being able to save those two Marines in our squad.
Regarding the tunnel where we lost Pfc Leach and Pfc Martin and almost lost you…What we didn’t know is that 18 days before we replaced Mike company 3/3 at Firebase Alpine, Mike company also lost two Marines at the same tunnel/cave. In that fight, Ronald Coker with Mike company 3/3 lost his life and was awarded the Medal of Honor.
Miss you my brother…Semper Fi. Good night, sweet prince, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.
Ron went through boot camp and ITR (Infantry Training Regiment) a few weeks before I went through that training..who knows, we may have bumped into each other during that period… I did not know Ron Coker personally…but we did fight the NVA in the same area in Vietnam in 1969. My unit replaced Mike 3/3 (Ron Coker’s unit) right after Ron lost his life….AND two Marines in my squad lost their lives at the SAME “Cave” tunnel complex where Ron Coker and Ron Playford lost their lives. I will never ever forget Firebase Alpine and what took place in the jungle around it. WE, Lima 3/9 replaced Mike 3/3 at Alpine.
Below is the last lines in the Eulogy that I wrote for my best friend in Vietnam…He suffered from PTSD until his passing in November 2022… for not being able to save those two Marines in our squad.
Regarding the tunnel where we lost Pfc Leach and Pfc Martin and almost lost you…What we didn’t know is that 18 days before we replaced Mike company 3/3 at Firebase Alpine, Mike company also lost two Marines at the same tunnel/cave. In that fight, Ronald Coker with Mike company 3/3 lost his life and was awarded the Medal of Honor.
Miss you my brother…Semper Fi. Good night, sweet prince, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.
Pat
Thank you for your service and sacrifice!