![]() Ralph Earl Pate, Jr. Gunnery Sergeant, United States Marine Corps |
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U.S.
Department of Defense
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) News Release IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 551-11
DOD Identifies Marine Casualty The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Gunnery Sergeant Ralph E. Pate Jr., 29, of Mullins, South Carolina, died June 26, 2011, while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company, 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. For additional background information on this
Marine, news media representatives may contact the 2nd Marine Logistics
Group public affairs office at 910-451-3589.
A family in Marion, South Carolina, is mourning the loss of a 29-year-old Marine after he was killed during combat in Afghanistan Sunday. Second Lieutenant James Stenger with the United States Marine Corps said Gunnery Sergeant Ralph E. Pate, Jr. of Marion was an explosive ordnance disposal technician assigned to Second EOD Company, Eighth Engineer Support Battalion, Second Marine Logistics Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. He joined the Marines in 1998 and was promoted to his current rank in 2009, according to Stenger. During his time with the Marines, Pate was deployed during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008, and was also deployed in 2009 and 2011 for Operation Enduring Freedom. Stenger said Pate’s personal decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Combat Action Ribbon with Gold Star in lieu of second award, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with three gold stars in lieu of fourth award. Circumstances surrounding Pate’s death were
not immediately made available.
Gunnery Sergeant Ralph E. Pate Jr, 29, died while supporting combat operations in Helmand Province, Afghanistan on 26 June 2011. Gunnery Sergeantt Pate, was born on October 22, 1981 in Marion, South Carolina. EJ was an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician in the United States Marine Corps. He joined the Marine Corps on October 14, 1999. He joined EOD in January of 2005. He was assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company, 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
Gunnery Sergeant Pate is survived by his wife Kimberly of 4 years and his two children, daughter Brianna and son Ashton; His parents Roy and Inez Stroud and sisters DeeDee Travis and Misty Ryan. Visitation will be held at Richardson Funeral
Home in Marion, South Carolina on 5 July 2011 from 5pm-9pm. Funeral Services
will be at Mullins High School, in Mullins South Carolina on 6 July 2011
at 3pm. Burial will be held at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington Virginia.
PATE, RALPH EARL JR
Webmaster: Michael
Robert Patterson
Posted: 29 July 2011 Updated: 10 November 2011 |
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Photos By Eileen Horan, November 2011