THE WALL OF FACES

The "Friends of Rocky Versace" remember one of the 68 men who grew up in Alexandria, VA and who has his name chiseled into a stone bench beneath a Gold Star at the Captain Rocky Versace Plaza and Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Captain Ralph Byron "Barney" Pappas, on what would've been his 79th birthday - 14 March 2019.

Captain Ralph Byron Pappas, Served with Marine Attack Squadron 211 (VMA-211), Marine Aircraft Group 12 (MAG-12), 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, but was assigned as a Forward Air Controller with the Headquarters and Service Company, 3rd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, Third Marine Amphibious Force.

This picture of Ralph Byron "Barney" Pappas is from the 1958 yearbook of Francis C. Hammond High School, Alexandria, VA. A comment by one of his classmates: "Good friend and teammate, tough as nails, always ready to laugh!"

Perfect valor is to behave, without witnesses, as one would act were all the world watching."

Shown is an overhead picture of the Captain Rocky Versace Plaza and Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Alexandria, VA. Dedicated on 6 July 2002, the Plaza/Memorial both remembers and honors not only Capt Ralph B. Pappas, U.S. Marine Corps, with a Gold Star above his name, but the 66 other men from the city who died in Vietnam. The “Friends of Rocky Versace” annually conduct Memorial Day & Veterans Day Ceremonies at the Plaza/Memorial and cordially invite Capt Pappas' family members, his fellow Marines and friends to join us at the observances.